http://betterhumans.tribe.net/thread/9b1f0311-8488-46f2-81b2-3a0657b95e8b?format=rss Tribe.net. Local Connections http://betterhumans.tribe.net/thread/9b1f0311-8488-46f2-81b2-3a0657b95e8b#c5e832e3-0e25-4bd6-80e1-14121dd6715e OK George you sneaky mind reader I like this article that parallels at theme I too have been promoting so I am going to violate copyright just for you and post your own article as a example of how it works now. ;~) >>>>Evolving Towards Telepathy Demand for increasingly powerful communications technology points to our future as a "techlepathic" species By George Dvorsky Betterhumans Staff 4/26/2004 6:39 PM ...The dream of mind-to-mind communication and the desire to transcend one's own consciousness is as old as language itself. You could make a strong case that there's a near pathological craving for it, a tendency that manifests through the widespread belief in paranormal telepathy. ESP aside, it seems that this craving will soon be satisfied. Several advances in communications technology and neuroscience are giving pause about the possibility of endowing us with techlepathy. As we continue to ride the wave of the communications revolution, and as the public demand for more sophisticated communications tools continues, it seems a veritable certainty that we are destined to become a species capable of mind-to-mind communication. This prospect is as profound as it is exciting. Such a change to the species would signify a prominent development in the evolution of humanity—a change that would irrevocably alter the nature of virtually all human relations and interactions... Needless to say, the communications revolution and the driving tendencies therein are not going to stop at cell phones, instant messaging and blogs. The work of research labs and universities around the world reveals that some of the most profound developments are still yet to come. It appears that the public's demand for ever more sophisticated communications devices will soon be met by supply… Cybernetics pioneer Kevin Warwick also believes in the future of techlepathy. In fact, he's actively trying to communicate in such a manner with his wife by creating an implant that connects his nervous system with hers. "If I have to have a long-term goal for my career," says Warwick, "it would be creating thought communication between humans." Of significance, he sees this as a realistic goal within his lifetime. But Warwick believes that signals other than thoughts or language are transferable as well. Humans will eventually be able to communicate all sorts of signals, he argues, such as "whether you are feeling bad, as well as where you are." He believes that the body produces an array of information that can be picked out and made to use in a variety of ways. Indeed, humanity appears to be on the cusp of a rather remarkable development: We are, for all intents and purposes, about to become a telepathic species. Such a development will occur this century and it will likely happen in three major phases. The first generation of telepathic devices will likely be of the subvocal variety in which communication travels one way, much like a normal conversation. The second phase will also involve unidirectional transmission, but consciousness (i.e. language center output) will be output instead of subvocalized speech. And the third phase will likely involve the seamless bidirectional transference of consciousness and emotions to one or more receiving persons—in other words, telepathy in the truest sense. It's highly probable that the medium of exchange for such communication will be the Internet, or its future form, the global mind or Noosophere. Given such an endowment, human cooperation and performance, particularly in team environments, will be greatly enhanced—whether it be a search and rescue team or a prog rock band. Indeed, artists will undoubtedly exploit such advancements by creating unimaginably powerful expressions that involve the transference of conscious and emotive experiences... While some might be perturbed by the ethical and practical ramifications of techlepathy, I am overwhelmingly in favor. Changes in communication and language have largely captured the human story, giving rise to not only technology and civilization, but also to our enhanced moral capacity and our ability to empathize. Undoubtedly, it is through communication that we learn to relate and understand one another. As Robert Wright points out in Nonzero and Jared Diamond in Guns, Germs and Steel, effective communications have historically been the crucial key for humanity's ongoing survival and progress. In fact, Wright meticulously chronicles how improving communication technologies steadily result in more and more positive sum games and enhanced cooperative social and interpersonal frameworks. This holds true, argues Wright, whether it be a freshly carved path that connects two tribes in the jungle or the Internet. There's no reason to believe that techlepathy won't have a similar impact on individuals, social groups and society as a whole. Moreover, imagine how it will further strengthen the bonds of interpersonal communication and intimacy. As we all live alone in our own minds—forced to live near-solipsistic existences—I cannot think of anything more powerful than the prospect of sharing someone else's thoughts and experiences. It's been said that such unions will signify the next phase of not just human communications and social interactions, but of personal and sexual intimacy as well. Many people complain about the dehumanizing and depersonalizing effects of technology. Personally, my usage of communications technology has only resulted in increased interactivity with the rest of the world. Further, this tendency seems to be the driving force in the history of the development of communications technology. On the surface humanity appears to be spreading outward, venturing across continents and into space. Yet in actuality we are journeying towards one another. Our globe has never appeared smaller and our proximity to each other has never been closer. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, pointing the way to a remarkable interconnected future. For complete article http://www.betterhumans.com/Features/Columns/Transitory_Human/column.aspx?articleID=2004-04-26-4 George Dvorsky is the deputy editor of Betterhumans and the president of the Toronto Transhumanist Association, a nonprofit organization that promotes the ethical use of technology to improve human health and capabilities. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the World Transhumanist Association and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. For more Dvorsky, visit his blog, Sentient Developments. You can reach him at george@betterhumans.com <<< Fri, 22 Apr 2005 12:11:05 GMT http://betterhumans.tribe.net/thread/9b1f0311-8488-46f2-81b2-3a0657b95e8b#c5e832e3-0e25-4bd6-80e1-14121dd6715e Lazarus 2005-04-22T12:11:05Z