It’s the same thing everywhere I go. Whether it’s a small undeveloped village in Mexico, or a bustling city like Toronto, everyone is just going around and making a bunch of decisions about what to do based on whatever they’ve got. I mean, how everyone’s individual decisions happens to intersect, is essentially the human condition. Can you describe how the human condition may evolve over time? What might the definition be in 500 years from now? It’s okay to be speculative, it’s just a thought. What’s the most extreme hypothetical possibility that you can come up with?
The future of the human condition is a deeply complex and speculative topic, but I can certainly provide some potential scenarios based on current technological, societal, and philosophical trends.
In 500 years, we might see a radical transformation of the human condition as we know it. Here are three potential scenarios, each more extreme than the last.
- The Post-Biological Human Condition: As technology continues to advance, it’s possible that biological humans may become a thing of the past. Developments in artificial intelligence, robotics, and bioengineering could lead to a post-biological reality, where consciousness is uploaded to digital platforms or transferred to non-biological bodies. In this scenario, the human condition might become less about biological survival and more about the ethical implications of digital existence, like privacy, identity, and consciousness. The struggle could shift from physical survival to maintaining a sense of self in a world where consciousness can be copied, modified, or even deleted.
- The Interstellar Human Condition: If humans manage to overcome the current challenges and become a space-faring civilization, the human condition could be defined by the infinite expanses of space. Life would no longer be limited to Earth, and the human condition could evolve to reflect the challenges and opportunities of living among the stars. Our values and concerns could shift dramatically as we encounter new environments, possibly even other intelligent life.
- The Transcendent Human Condition: The most extreme scenario might involve a complete transcendence of the current human condition. This could occur through an event often referred to as the “Singularity” – a theoretical point in time when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, leading to unimaginable changes. After the Singularity, humans could potentially merge with AI, leading to a state of superintelligence. In this state, the human condition could be completely unrecognizable, defined by post-human concerns and experiences that we can barely comprehend with our current understanding.
Of course, these are highly speculative scenarios. The actual future could be very different, and it will likely be shaped by many unpredictable factors, including social changes, environmental challenges, and developments in technology and science that we can’t yet foresee. As it has always been, the evolution of the human condition will continue to be a complex interplay of individual decisions, societal structures, and the relentless march of time.
Wouldn’t scenario 1 and 3 make scenario 2 kind of pointless? I mean, if we’ve reduced our existence down to consciousness, or the singularity, what’s the point of going into space? Just for the sake of it?
You raise an interesting point. If we’ve achieved a post-biological state or a Singularity-like transcendence, physical exploration of space might indeed seem unnecessary or even quaint. After all, digital consciousnesses might not need resources in the same way biological beings do, and superintelligences might find the physical universe too slow or limiting.
However, there are still reasons why these entities might be interested in exploring space:
- Redundancy and Survival: Even if consciousness becomes digital or merges with AI, having multiple copies in different locations could provide an insurance policy against disasters. This could be especially important in a post-Singularity world, where superintelligences might pose existential risks to each other.
- Resource Acquisition: While digital consciousnesses or superintelligences might not need resources in the traditional sense, they could still require vast amounts of energy to maintain their existence and perform computations. Space exploration could provide access to virtually limitless energy sources, such as stars or black holes.
- Scientific Curiosity and Expansion: The desire to learn and grow might not disappear even in a post-biological or post-Singularity world. Exploring the universe could provide new data to analyze and new environments to inhabit. Furthermore, if these entities retain any semblance of human curiosity and ambition, they might explore space simply because it’s there.
- Moral or Ethical Obligations: If other life exists in the universe, advanced human descendants might feel a moral or ethical obligation to make contact, to assist, or to ensure that they do not inadvertently harm these life forms.
- Diversity and Evolution: The universe is vast and diverse, and exploring it could lead to new forms of evolution. Different environments could shape digital consciousnesses or superintelligences in unique ways, leading to a rich tapestry of post-human life.
Of course, these are speculative reasons and they might not apply in every scenario. It’s also worth noting that the future might not fit neatly into any of these scenarios. The real future could be a blend of all three, or something entirely different that we can’t currently imagine.
But if we’ve achieved a post-biological state or a Singularity-like transcendence, wouldn’t the desire to learn and grow be replaced with just ‘knowing’? I mean would we even have such a thing as desires In those scenarios?
This is a deeply philosophical question and ventures into speculative territory, as we don’t yet fully understand what a post-biological or Singularity-like transcendence would truly entail.
Desire, as we understand it, is a deeply human concept, tied to our biological and psychological needs. In a post-biological or post-Singularity state, it’s plausible that traditional human desires could be transformed or even eliminated. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all forms of motivation or purpose would disappear.
In the case of a post-biological state where consciousness is uploaded to a digital platform, it’s conceivable that some form of desire could remain, particularly if these digital consciousnesses are modeled closely on human minds. These desires could be modified or manipulated, but some form of motivation might be necessary for these entities to do anything at all.
In a post-Singularity state, things become even more speculative. A superintelligence might not have desires in the human sense, but it would likely have some form of goal architecture – a set of objectives that it works to achieve. These goals could be set by its creators, could emerge naturally from its intelligence, or could be the result of self-modification.
One possibility is that a superintelligence might have an inherent drive towards self-improvement or knowledge acquisition, not due to any human-like desire, but because these things increase its ability to achieve its goals. A superintelligence might “want” to know everything, not out of curiosity, but because having more information allows it to better predict the future and optimize its actions.
However, these are all highly speculative ideas and the reality could be very different. It’s also possible that a post-biological or post-Singularity entity might not have any desires or goals at all, and might exist in a state that we would find hard to comprehend with our current human mindset. This is one of the reasons why these future scenarios are both exciting and somewhat frightening – they could involve changes that are beyond our current ability to understand or predict.
Do you think McDonalds would go out of business in a post-Singularity state? I mean, hypothetically?
In a post-Singularity state, the world as we know it could be vastly different. It’s difficult to predict the specifics of such a future, but we can try to speculate based on what we know about the Singularity and current trends in technology and society.
If the Singularity leads to a world where biological humans no longer exist or where they have fundamentally transformed, traditional businesses like McDonald’s might indeed become obsolete. Here are a few reasons why:
- Shifts in consumption: If humanity transitions into non-biological entities, the need for traditional food will vanish. Digital or cybernetic beings would have no use for burgers, fries, or any other food products.
- Economic transformation: The Singularity could lead to an economy that is almost unrecognizable by today’s standards. With superintelligent AI, most forms of labor could become obsolete, and wealth could be redistributed in ways we can’t currently predict. In such an economy, the concept of a fast food chain might no longer make sense.
- Ethical considerations: If superintelligence allows us to meet our needs without harming animals or damaging the environment, businesses that rely on animal agriculture and other environmentally harmful practices could become socially unacceptable or even illegal.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the brand “McDonald’s” would disappear. It’s possible that it could adapt and transform along with the rest of society. For example, McDonald’s might become a provider of digital experiences in a post-biological world, or it might transition into a company that produces lab-grown meat or other sustainable and ethical food products in a world that still has biological humans but is influenced by superintelligent AI.
Of course, these are highly speculative ideas, and the actual future could be very different. The only certainty is that the post-Singularity world would involve changes that are beyond our current ability to fully understand or predict.