Brage Gording

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Technology becoming part of people, and artificially bettering ourselves

If at some point in the future we develop the technology to significantly improve our lives, such as increased mental capacity, endurance, sensory information, etc. should we take the leap, or do we risk losing what makes us human in the first place?
Genetic modifications of humans could also factor into this, as it is a means of artificially advancing ourselvs.

  • Jul 20 2013: Lol,indeed,is it amazing to see most of people are artificial?artificial nose?mouth?face?Kakakaka...can't imagine people will not know who is who,parents wouldn't know who are their kids?and versus...Guess the world isn't the world we are living now anymore,what will it be?
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    Jul 18 2013: There are many implications of cybernetics. Such robotic prosthetic organs already are in the making. An economist article talked about the creation of a functioning organs, in which the robotic organs were able to pump "blood" and digest food. This could be the future of organ replacement.

    Some of my peers, in my own conversation on the topic, talked about how price would reduce once the patents wore off.

    My question is, what is the demand for survival? It is human nature to do whatever it takes to survive. Along with the fact that, the high level of expertise required to do these surgeries would increase the price of these surgeries. Medical doctors would have to flood into the market and became surgeons, allowing the competition to reduce the price.

    In the united states, in almost every industry we have an oligopoly, a few large companies that control the industry via "choke points." What makes us think that the same won't happen for these robotic organs?

    With this being said, this gives these organizations complete control over the prices and lives of the population. The allocation will go to the people that can afford these robotic organs, which could allow these people to live...potentially forever.

    Population overgrowth already being an issue, we must consider the implications that could be caused by these inventions both socioeconomically and resources allocation wise.
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      Jul 24 2013: This is of course a legitimate concern, yet I prefer to focus on the positive aspects, such as sick people becoming healthier, blind parent being able see their kids for the first time, etc. There are always dangers associated with advances in science and technology, the atomic bomb being a prime example, yet I believe that this is merely a fault of our nature to dominate others, and that once we can overcome this instinct, we will live in a much better world, which technology helped to create.
  • Jul 17 2013: I'm personally quite fond of the idea.
    It could be the end of old age, disease, and general improvement of the human condition. Honestly, the human body is full of bad engineering that I'd love to have repaired, and that's without getting into adding new abilities.

    The primary concern is that distribution will be limited only to the rich, which will widen the already existing social gaps.
    That's not to say it shouldn't be attempted, the benefits outweigh the risks, it just needs to be handled carefully.

    You wouldn't be able to put much of a lid on it even if you tried though. It'll start off with repairing medical conditions, then the military will start to use to make their healthy soldiers more effective, and eventually it'll trickle down to the rest of the population.
    Some countries would not doubt resist, but they'd eventually relent when they realize they're risking being left behind--the advantages they're passing up on are just too great.
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      Jul 24 2013: In the beginning this will only be available to the rich, as new technologies are very expensive, but just as it cost 10K USD to get your DNA scanned a decade ago, and less then 1K now, I think that the cost of artificial improvements will become cheaper and cheaper.
      As for the military, yes they will most probably adapt this technology, but not before it becomes very cheap. The US military now for example has the ability to provide an armour (dragon scale) to their soldiers which can stop an AK-47 bullet without large injuries to the wearer, yet they don't provide them, as the value of one soldier's life is too insignificant.
  • Jul 17 2013: Gee I misread bettering as battering. Maybe that is more likely.
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      Jul 17 2013: So you don't approve of the idea of people becoming "more than human" through implants and such? Is there any special reason (just curious)?
      • Jul 18 2013: No it's not an issue It just depends.When you have cataract surgery the old cloudy lens is removed and replaced by plastic. Worked well for me.
  • Jul 17 2013: I resent the implication that technology would make me "better."

    I think I am just fine.
    • Jul 17 2013: So growing old and getting sick is just fine?

      Even without getting into adding new functions to the human body, wouldn't it at the very least be nice to get rid of those two little tidbits?

      The human body is full of bad engineering. Evolution doesn't optimize, it merely goes for 'good enough', and by trial and error at that. You get all sorts of amazing flukes that work wonderfully, alongside a host of bad ideas that only barely function.
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      Jul 19 2013: fine 1 (fn)
      adj. fin·er, fin·est
      1. Of superior quality, skill, or appearance: a fine day; a fine writer.
      2. Very small in size, weight, or thickness: fine type; fine paper.
      a. Free from impurities.
      b. Metallurgy Containing pure metal in a specified proportion or amount: gold 21 carats fine.
      4. Very sharp; keen: a blade with a fine edge.
      5. Thin; slender: fine hairs.
      6. Exhibiting careful and delicate artistry: fine china. See Synonyms at delicate.
      7. Consisting of very small particles; not coarse: fine dust.
      a. Subtle or precise: a fine difference.
      b. Able to make or detect effects of great subtlety or precision; sensitive: has a fine eye for color.
      9. Trained to the highest degree of physical efficiency: a fine racehorse.
      10. Characterized by refinement or elegance.
      11. Satisfactory; acceptable: Handing in your paper on Monday is fine.
      12. Being in a state of satisfactory health; quite well: I'm fine. And you?
      13. Used as an intensive: a fine mess.