Patrick Sallee reviews this week’s ‘Art of Humanity’ podcast on futurology.
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Editor’s Note: Each week, Patrick Sallee reviews Jessica Ann’s podcast, “The Art of Humanity,” to share the insights with our readers.
Admittedly, futurology isn’t a study I spend a lot of time on. I’m not much for sci-fi and I don’t spend time predicting what the world will look like in 20 years. However, even the cynic that I am, I can’t deny the rapid change in technology and the amazing progress we have seen with Artificial Intelligence. Miss Metaverse perfectly sums it up in this week’s Art of Humanity podcast, “We are becoming more like machines and machines are becoming more like us.” Here are some takeaways from the podcast.
Russian billionaire Dmitry Iskov founded this initiative with the stated goal of “the creation and realization of a new strategy for the development of humanity which meets global civilization challenges; the creation of optimal conditions promoting the spiritual enlightenment of humanity; and the realization of a new futuristic reality based on 5 principles: high spirituality, high culture, high ethics, high science and high technologies.”
But … here’s the mind blowing part. The mega project, the main science related piece to this whole thing: “to create technologies enabling the transfer of an individual’s personality to a more advanced non-biological carrier, and extending life, including to the point of immortality. We devote particular attention to enabling the fullest possible dialogue between the world’s major spiritual traditions, science and society”
The Initiative lays out a timeline for plans, from 2015 through 2045, starting with the creation of “avatars” to be controlled by our brains, but allowing us to travel in extreme situations, perform rescue operations and dangerous work. The participants and partners in this Initiative believe they will create an artificial body that will surpass the human body in terms of functionality and personal development.
I tend to be pretty cynical about things like this, but a significant number of leaders in science, spirituality, and technology are bought in and supporting the cause. Fascinating stuff to be sure.
How will these developments affect the future of sex, the future of masculinity, the future of our human experience? If our thoughts are separated from our biological bodies, do factors such as sex, gender, orientation, race, weight, and appearance disappear? And could this be a model—to use now—for experiencing and reacting to thoughts, ideas, and philosophies outside the context of their biological initiator or carrier?
Stay tuned for next week’s episode.
Photo—Global Panorama/Flickr