Future of computers & the possible technolgical singularity.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

On the same subject, I was recently thinking about what kind of technologies I am using every day versus what was around when I was a kid. I'm only 22 for the record. Cell Phones, GPS, Blue Tooth connected, television big corporations subliminal "Blipverts" that plague our minds.... used to be television that was going to be the source of mind and youth corruption, now it's the internet and massive information overload that make us lose concentration on one thing. Cars powered by computers replacing mechanical drives and our physical safety nets. People getting disconnected from the real world via wifi and cell towers, iphones and the constant and aggressive need to always be connected and talking with SOMEONE, ANYONE. It is quite maddening to think this goes on every day. Think about it, we cannot live without using something powered by microprocessors and semiconductors.

I would not be here right now chatting with complete strangers around the World without..... but then again by definition are we all strangers to each other? We all share a somewhat indirect bond on here, which proves the whole "World is Shrinking" attitude.

The digital age was only beginning when I was born... people didn't know what to make of these new-fangled computer devises, but now they are an essential part of our daily lives and our infrastructure. 1984 came and went, but the fun is only beginning.

Oh and by the way, they made a robot that is powered off of human remains:
http://www.robotictechnologyinc.com/index.php/EATR



P.S. I love technology and tech makes the world a better place, but the abuse of this gift from R&D drives me crazy.

Well said sir!

I too share your view on R&D guys, all they ever see is the good behind their work and never the possible ramifications of it; but the same can be said of all inventors and their dreams.

[Anapan]

If I live to see a Caterpillar Power Loader J-5000 (Aliens - mobile armor that Ripley fought the queen in) I'll be happy. So-far the movies and mass media have been preparing me for a future that just won't materialize fast enough. Also, Fuchikomas FTW - Tachikomas aren't nearly as cool.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

If I live to see a Caterpillar Power Loader J-5000 (Aliens - mobile armor that Ripley fought the queen in) I'll be happy. So-far the movies and mass media have been preparing me for a future that just won't materialize fast enough. Also, Fuchikomas FTW - Tachikomas aren't nearly as cool.

Watch out, you might get a darker future than you bargained for!

I'm more partial to the Tachikomas from having more experience with the series though.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

More info on the singularity here as well:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/techn ... larity.htm

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Here's the History Channel's take on real life AI and Terminators:

Main HC site:
http://www.history.com/shows.do?action= ... eId=464826

The episode itself on Youtube:






The also show the robot factory in Japan that has fully automated robots building other robots. To quote Will Smith in I-Robot: "Robots building other robots? Now that's just plain stupid."

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Nobody else is interested in the topic?

[MrPopo]

As mentioned when you first brought this up on IRC, I welcome our robot overlords.

[Pulsar_t]

Anyone read Philip K Dick's The Defenders? It possibly has the most positive outlook on intelligent machines.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Anyone read Philip K Dick's The Defenders? It possibly has the most positive outlook on intelligent machines.

Nope, but the wiki article makes it look interesting.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

So I've been doing some more looking in on this subject after getting a renewed interest in Ghost In The Shell after hearing news of us Americans finally getting the Blu-Ray of it and want to get some more opinions from the other Racketeers on the site on the subject of a potential tech singularity and the future of technology and computing in general.

Personally I find the possible implications of upcoming and future technologies as well as trans-humanism pretty frightening to be honest as it raises a lot of moral and ethical questions that I'd prefer we'd never have top see; as well as being a scary outlook as to what any natural humans may possibly have to deal with in the future in term of prejudice and being considered nothing more than the Amish or even possibly mere animals to immortal cyborgian future humans and ultra-intelligent AI's. It's all just a theory at the moment, nothing more than Sci-Fi fantasies; but that could change at any time given one tiny technological discovery which spirals into a technology explosion that irrevocably and irreversibly changes us as people and society as a whole.

Then again what do I know? I'm just a 17 year old kid with a penchant for 90's/early 00's era technology that is currently confused and scared as to what could happen further down the line in his lifetime to him and his family.

After all like I mentioned earlier it is still just a theory at the moment and theories are never without their detractors and re-interpretations until the day that they are (If even at all possible to occur) proven facts by some occurrence most of which are plausibly likely are to occur or never occur by a near equal margin.

Anyhow, I'm on the fence with this issue. One one side it freaks me out and makes me want to run for the hills, on the other I keep going there's no way it's even possible. But if history's proven something it's that anything's possible, so I'll keep wondering if maybe we will experience something like this within our lifetimes.

So does anyone have another opinion to add to this?

Links to some info on it are located on the first post!