Where we should go with the world . . .
In case you haven’t noticed, the world has a few problems. Despite how far we have come we still have alot of work to do. It’s really easy to point out what’s wrong with the world, kind of harder to figure out what to do to correct the issues. I’m going to describe a world that I hope someday exists. I’ll touch briefly on how I think these things may come about, but I’m going to focus on what I would like to happen more than how. Please describe your best case future-perfect world as well. I imagine I am going to get a bunch of jokes along the lines of “I’m king of the world with 500 supermodel wives”, but remember, Steve Martin did that joke already. So, if you are going to go for it, make sure you can top his bit. Otherwise you’re just wasting our time. Let’s begin:
Universal Rights
Every living human should be guaranteed shelter, food, and medical care for life. Capitalism has done alot for the world and allowed for as well as encouraged tremendous innovation. But as civilization matures and our skills grow, we really should be moving towards a more enlightened organization of the world’s resources. I don’t think you could label me a Socialist. I’m not talking about the workers rising up or anything. It just seems to me that if we have the resources to feed, shelter, and treat everybody when they are sick, there is no economic justification or institution that should supercede meeting those goals. Civilization is a good thing. Somehow, allowing people to die, starve, and live their lives homeless doesn’t seem like a civilized way to be. If resources are too scarce, well, then simple mathematics dictate that some will inevitably go without. But, as I understand it, the planet has plenty of resources for the current global population. The problem is a distribution/organizational one rather than a supply issue.
Science, Medicine, and Human Augmentation
I want to see the perfection of medicine. I want humanity to learn all of the secrets of the language of genes. Now that the Human Genome project is complete, next comes the Human Proteome. Then the Genomes and Proteomes of the animal and plant kingdoms. With all of this data in hand the scientists of the world may well have the tools necessary to decode and understand the ‘biochemical and physiological mechanisms of complex multivariate diseases at the functional molecular level’. This will likely (hopefully) lead to the end of disease, aging, and (ultimately) non-accidental death. It also is going to open the door to human augmentation. Imagine having the eye-sight of an eagle and the reflexes of a cat. Instead of relying on blind evolution to give us incremental increases in ability at the cost of the death of billions of sentient beings (and untold numbers of non-sentients), we will through genetic engineering take beneficial steps with awareness and purpose. We will make ourselves stronger, faster, smarter, and . . . well . . . just better.
As the biologists are working from the top down, physicists are working from the bottom up. I want to see a unified grand theory of everything. The possibility that all the rules of the Universe may be able to be summed up in some minute equation is beautiful to me. The physicists and the biologists working together should also be able to finally come up with a working theory of mind. They will unravel the nature of conscious and self, and perhaps kill the idea of the ghost in the machine. What they learn will allow them to build human-like intelligence into machine systems (i.e. AI). I foresee a situation where humans are augmented/improved with machines, and machines are augmented/improved with what we learn from biology. Rather than a war against the machines, I imagine we will join together with them and become something better than either one could be without the other.
Robotics, Leisure, and Creativity
I highly recommend you check out [http://www.marshallbrain.com/robotic-nation.htm]Robotic]( [url) Nation. It is Marshall Brain’s web site dedicated to fleshing out the coming robotic revolution. Robots are going to kill alot of jobs, but in return they have the potential to create tremendous wealth and a world of people with much more time to pursue creative and leisure activities. Mr. Brain (can that be a real name?) suggests an idea that I find very compelling. He [proposes]( http://marshallbrain.com/robotic-freedom.htm) a central account in which all citizens get a piece. Money flows into the central account from a variety of sources and then flows equally to every American citizen. They spend the money and in the process stimulate the economy – turbo capitalism. He lists many different sources that could fund the central account with a goal of getting about $25,000/year (in today’s dollars) to every person. At first your reaction may be “Fat Chance”, but I beg you to read that article. He makes a really good case for such a setup. This type of arrangement would provide for the food and shelter that I feel should be a basic right. It would also free up human capitol. People would not have to spend there lives as virtual slaves in menial jobs allowing them to spend time on artistic, creative, and business endeavors that they simply don’t have the time for now. These are my favorite qualities of the human beasts. It makes me sad that so many people never live up to their potential out of a necessity to work for someone else. It will also allow people to just enjoy life. Stop and smell the roses as they say.
After 9/11 I saw a sign that I really liked at a memorial in Union Square. It said “End the oppression that leads to terrorism.” I can’t help but think that most wars could be avoided if we could provide everyone on the planet with food, shelter, Medicare, $25 grand a year, and a 4 day work week (5 hours a day).
The Final Frontier
Space, baby. The moon, the asteroids, mars. Colonies everywhere. Cities covering the face of every rock in this solar system. Space elevators provide cheap access and the next great Diaspora begins. Armed with longevity and cheap power, other star systems come within reach. We get the eggs out of the basket and spread intelligence through the galaxy and beyond. I fly on the moon because of low gravity. I stand on Olympus Mons. I see the rings of Saturn up close and behold the beauty of Jupiter’s ancient storms.
That’s what I’d like to see anyway . . .
DaLovin’ Dj