Technology and the Extinction of the

Human Species
Random ramblings by Cheddarben

10/04/09

Prologue
I have no purpose for this other than to get this idea permanently in writing. I am
not claiming to be an expert in any of these fields. I will refer to God in this paper
and when I do so, I am not proclaiming any affiliation with any religion, just an
identification of man’s belief that there is a higher power (evolution, Allah, Jesus,
God, The Flying Spaghetti Monster) that plays a hand in human creation or an
understanding of the answers (42) and/or questions that explain the meaning of life

Introduction and Statement

The human race is going to either destroy itself or evolve into a new species
dependant on technology. I think this will happen in the relatively near future. We
have become a race that already relies on technology and we have reached a
tipping point where technology is required.

What has happened up until now

Throughout most of human history, homo-sapiens were primarily a hunter/gatherer

species. We were forced to move where food was available and we were at the
mercy of the world around us.

Then, approximately 10,000 years ago, the Neolithic Agricultural revolution

occurred. People who once moved from place to place to find food now found
themselves stationary and able to grow food where they lived. Villages, towns and
metropolises were born. To me, the creation of agriculture was an instrumental
moment where man moved from being controlled to being the controller. We
moved away from being an animal, to the master of our destiny and our own Gods.

This new concept of a “city” revolutionized many different areas. To better run as
a whole, people moved from being “jack of all trades” to specializations. Scientists,
artists and many other careers were created due to the creation of the city. Trade
and commerce were a natural evolution once cities came into existence.
Knowledge and goods began moving across the world along with science. Galileo,
Newton and Darwin all presented theories to the world that moved from a religious
point of view to a secular point of view. Everything can be explained through
science and if we can explain it… we may be able to control it.

From an evolutionary standpoint, man has not changed much in the past 10,000
years. Even though natural selection may take a relatively long time to create
evolved creatures, one thing that natural selection has given us is the ability to
think and create.

We have created machines, medicine and processes that allow human being to
thrive in today’s society. To me, it is absolutely amazing the progress that has been
made in the past 150 years. Not too long ago flight was just a dream, but now we
live in a world where flying planes occurs every day. Less than 50 years agowe
landed on the Moon. In the past 10-20 years the internet has exploded and our
worlds have completely changed.

We have controlled the environment around us to meet our needs. Evolution is

becoming no longer needed because we can create technologies that can substitute
for evolution. The advancements man has made in the past few hundred years is
remarkable in comparison to the relatively small progress of the previous few
million.

What is happening now

The world of information is readily available and is expanding and evolving every
day. We are able to access the internet anywhere and anytime. Many of us have a
cell phone by our side and most of these devices are able to hit the internet. We
are in a world where media is ever available, communication is always on and
information is at our fingertips.

The internet is an amalgam of productive work, learning, entertainment,

communication and information. Whether for work or play, the information
superhighway has become a daily reality of many people’s lives. Social tools like
Facebook, Twitter and Reddit bring people and ideas together that would may not
be likely bedfellows. How many elementary school friends have been found
because of Facebook and how many people would be able to interact with
celebrities without Twitter or Reddit? Access to the world is growing.

News is no longer something that a person has to wait until 5 or 10 to see. Walter
Cronkite has been replaced by news aggregators and disasters are communicated
by individuals before news organizations. The traditional news even relies on the
internet to find information and the spread of all communications already relies on
electronic means.

Meanwhile, the telecommunications industry is making leaps and bounds in

advancements. First, users are obviously able to talk with each other. Next, text
messaging allows for users to communicate via data. Finally,the cell phone is
beginning meld with the PC into a machine that serves the same purpose. The
phones, software platforms and applications are becoming more sophisticated by
the month and seem to be melding together.

Sources of energy are also becoming more common and practical. Wind, solar,
nuclear and even coal are all becoming more efficient methods of generating
energy.

Beyond the “normal”technologies we use every day, there are a number of

interesting technologies that may be an indicator of what is to come. Robots are
becoming more advanced like Big Dog. This is a robot that would likely be
identified as a living creature just a few hundred years ago. Medicine is continuing
to advance as evident by our increased life expectancy and amazing advances such
as face transplants.

On the cutting edge of technology, individuals are now able to interface with
computers using brain control alone. In the linked story, an individual with Lou
Gehrig’s disease was able communicate with his mind alone. There are even games
now that use a basic “brain” interface and it sounds like more advanced brain
controllers are being developed. Last Christmas, there was even a publicly
available game available for purchase that relies on brain power.

Also, electricity can now be transmitted without wires. This is certainly a

technology in its infancy, but the ramifications of this kind of energy portability is
mindboggling to me. Genetics and Artificial Intelligence are both fields that are
rapidly advancing. My understanding is that we have the ability to understand
some of the functions of DNA and could help control, or correct, what is being
passed to future generations.

In a sense, we are playing God and taking evolution over. We do not need millions
of years to adapt to a new environment, we just need society doing what it does.

The Future
15 Years
Within 15 years, I suspect that what is currently recognized as a cell phone will be
the main form of communication, entertainment and media. The phone is already a
constant in many people’s life and I believe this will transition into an individualized
communication device. Whether it be a gaming system, computer, telephone,
remote control or paying bills, it only makes sense to me that this is how technology
progresses.

Phones and computers are already beginning to play similar roles. People use their
desktops as phones and they also use their phones as a means to send email. As a
matter of function, the natural progression is for the phone to take place of the
desktop. Beyond this example, people also have gaming systems, DVRs, home
phones, alarm clocks and VCRs that will eventually be replaced by one mobile
device that a person will have on his side all the time. A full customizable user
experience right on a person’s hip. Monitors will be located in several places and
the devices will be able to feed into these monitors and other devices.

I also think within the next 15 to 20 years, wireless electricity will begin to become a
prevalent technology. Imagine your “phone” being constantly charged just by
proper placement with no worry about plugging in. Imagine parking your electric
car into your outfitted garage that automatically charges the vehicle. Electric cords
will start to become a thing of the past.

Brain technology will become more common place in the next 15-20 years also. We
will move beyond simple games that are available to the masses right now, and
actual daily use of this technology willbegin to emerge. Devices where individuals
will be able to control lights, power buttons, and simple technologies will begin to
become common place.

30-100 years
Technology using brain power will continue to evolve in parallel with the devices we
currently recognize as phones. At some point, I believe the two technologies that
currently exist in infancy will meld together and a new sort of world will be created.
What is the point of carrying a device around 24/7 when it can be internalized with
what would appear to be the same result. These devices will be implanted into our
bodies and as these brain technologies advance, users will be able to control the
devices with their brains.

Currently, electronic devices assist ill patients and allow them to communicate
using an interface connected to the brain. Imagine how far this technology can
advance in 50 years. 1903 marked the first flight and 50 years later, flying was a
common occurrence. This sort of technology may seem like science fiction, but it
currently exists and is the path of the future.

Once people are able to control devices with their brains, telepathy is born. Not
only will users be able to interface with the internet on thought alone, we will be
able to be communicating instantly with others and the world will become just one
thought away.

Beyond basic connectivity, I foresee the ability of sensory manipulation becoming a

field of interest. Up until this point, humans will have relied onexternal devices
(monitors) to communicate information. Once we start manipulating the brain, it
would seem like a natural evolution to manipulate sensory organs. For example,
why would we want to watch a movie on a monitor when we can just watch it in our
thoughts? At this point, we are already communicating and doing business through
thought alone.

To summarize, within one hundred years we will be able to communicate, transfer

information and watch media with thought alone.
Beyond
Wikipedia defines ‘Species’as:

There are many definitions of what kind of unit a species is (or should be). A
common definition is that of a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and
producing fertile offspring of both genders, and separated from other such groups
with which interbreeding does not (normally) happen. Other definitions may focus
on similarity of DNA or morphology.

I believe that the Homo Sapiens Sapiens will eventually evolve into a new sub
species where we control our own destiny. Beyond 100 years, I am reluctant to
predict very much, but I do think that at some point we will no longer be considered
Homo Sapiens Sapiens.

There will be some humans who resist the technological advances. While the new
species (I will call them Homo Sapiens Imperium for the sake of discussion)
continues to evolve, the people who refuse the technology will change very little.
At some point, either Human Sapiens Sapiens will either become extinct or will be
so far different from Homo Sapiens Imperium that they will no longer recognize
each other as peers.

There are many different ways that this could play out in the end and many of them
concern me.

Major Variables and Generally Sad Thoughts on the future

There could be a natural, or manmade, disaster that affects this evolution. If a
meteor hits the planet or any number of natural or man-made disasters occurs, the
human population can be reduced or eliminated altogether. Global warming,
nuclear weapons or world wars could all have an impact on the future. It has been
many years since I read Daniel Quinn’s book Ishmael, but I remember what I got out
of it. Mankind is on a crash course with technology. Man continues to try and play
God, and the human race must either go back to living as animals, or
technologically advance in a manner that is quicker than our destruction of us. If
we do not have the technology to prevent or own messes or natural disasters, my
vision of the future would be effected.

Many people who have read this may be familiar with Star Trek’s Borg species. Is it
possible that we are headed for this kind of mechanical society where we are
nothing but machine? I think it is certainly a possibility. The main problem I have
with how we are progressing in technology and genetics is that we do try and play
God. We take the initiative to heal the sick and prevent disease, which at face
value is a very noble cause. In the same breath, possibly are we leading things in a
negative direction? Antibiotics are great until disease is immune. Antibacterial
soap is great, but what happens when a superbug is created. My fear is that we
will evolve in a direction that may seem positive, but lead humanity to a very bad
place.

One of my predictions is that computers will be placed in the brain. Certainly, the
initial intention will be convenience and progress, but what happens if a hacker is
able to manipulate these technologies? Like current hackers are able to make
computers zombie PCs, will they be able to employ armies of human beings to do
the same. Besides individual hackers, Governments or potential Artificial
Intelligence scares the bejeezes out of me. Is it possible that the human species will
become one large drone army for the entertainment of a few?

END GAME
Unfortunately, I do not think there is any turning back at this point. We now must
continue advancing at a rate that outpaces our destructive tendencies. Some
argue that we have already reached the “tipping” point for global warming and if
that is the case, we must come up with a technology so that we can survive. If the
world were rocked with a major disaster today, how would all of the chemicals,
power grids, and nuclear facilities react with the “rocked” world.

Our natural curiosity and desire to explain and/or fix the world is leading to
technologies that allow us to try and play God. Unfortunately, I do not believe we
can efficiently function in this role and it is quite possible that we will make a
mistake that either ends our species or transforms us into something we would not
want to become.

We need to continue making advances in order to survive as a species. At the same

time, these advancements may end up destroying the human species.