Week 1: Talk about Transhumanism

For Week 1 of CTX class, we had a brief lecture about the introduction to CTX and also about transhumanism. Mr Charles talked about how humans might want to alter themselves with technology in the future and even now.

Mr Charles also stated the posibillity that life as it is was just a simulation (like in The Matrix). I've seen videos talking about this before from Wisecrack. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB3v3bDba5g) They discuss about the possibility that life is a computer simulation, and how life in 2017 is most possibly a historical simulation for future humans to experience what life was like in 2017. All those mumbo jumbo aside, I felt the last few questions were the most thought-provoking. "WIll the fact that our universe is simulated make it any less meaningful?" " Would the truth of an other-worldly creator bring you solace, or would we be obliged to bring it all crashing down like Neo?"

Rather than accepting or denying the possibility of life being a simulation, I just don't think that the truth doesn't really matter, at least to me. From my point of view, I am living my life everyday, experiencing different feelings and situations, and all of those are indeed vivid and real. Call me sheeple if you want, but my experiences and desires are the truest things that can ever be.

I apologize if this part gets lengthy, because Mr Charles had asked us to make a presentation about this, but we didn't get to do it. So I'll be presenting the information here.

First things first, the word "transhuman" is defined by person or entity that exists in a state beyond being human. For my own findings about transhumanist technologies, the ones that drew me in the most were about modifications humans. I learned most of the information from this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD0185Qd698) from Top5s. One of the possible technologies would enable us to inject memories into our brain. An experiment was carried out to transfer memories of performing a task from a human to a mouse. The mouse was able to successfully perform the task the first time around. Shocking, I know. But what if this technology were developed into not only transferring simple tasks, but to whole specific skills? What if people can 'download' talents such as dancing or drawing? Would that be something positive?

For modifications to the body, future technology may be able to manufacture organs and blood to eliminate the need for organ donors. It's very much possible that prosthetics will exceed the capabilities of the natural human body in the future, making humans opt for upgrades even if their bodies are not flawed. Would that be socially accepted by the community? What if getting arm upgrades were just like changing your Iphone 6 into and Iphone7? Does this mean immortallity is achievable?

In "Adventure Time", the character Dr. Gross mechanized her body without actually needing it.

The main thing is how these modifications make us any more or less human? I would say that a guy with a prosthetic arm is still a human, but I won't be so sure if it was a guy with a whole cybernetic body and perhaps some 'brain upgrades' like I mentioned before. The problem is, where exactly is the line between "human" and "transhuman"? This is parallels to the Theseus's Ship paradox that broke the minds of many. If you haven't heard of it, you can watch a short video that explains it here.

.Just like how many new planks make an old ship into a new ship, what amount of upgrades makes someone graduate from being human into something else? It's called a paradox because no one knows the answer, so I suggest tackling this in a different way.

Maybe a transhuman would be very different in personality than us now, judging from cybernetics, brain upgrades and longer lifespans. Everything can come very easily to them. They need to put no effort into learning a skill or maintaining their health. Perhaps in their long lives, they will reach a point that they have already experienced all that is of interest and no longer find anything else stimulating. People would lose the ability to value the gift of life since it would be so hard to lose your life. That would mean that a transhuman would be a more jaded, less emotional and less empathic version of us.

In conclusion, I believe that our capability to feel and experience are what makes us truly human. The frustration when you fail to achieve something, the euphoria that you get when you succeed, and the moments when you value the gift of life, that's what makes us human and stay human. No matter what advancements may take place in the future, I wish that we will never lose our humanity.

Sorry for the long post! Here's some kittens!

#CTX #Week1