Waiting for that nanotech interface

Cybernetic interfaces connecting human brains to machines.

Yeah, you've never seen me blog about that before, right? Of course you have. Well, you're going to read it again because transhumanist Peter Diamandis has me thinking about it. 

Diamandis is the founder of Singularity University, a think tank of other transhumanists dedicated to scientific advancement. Among these proposed advancements is the expansion of the human lifespan, a goal of Diamandis since he was in medical school. "Stopping you from dying is the first step," he says. All well and good. I'm for not dying. Most days, anyway. But I must admit to being more intrigued by his proposals for brain-machine interface.

This would, he asserts, likely be accomplished via nanotechnology and implants. If you're a regular ESE reader then you should know by now this is no exercise in fiction. Researchers at the University of California have already made progress towards neural implants that will enhance cognitive function and that's just one more in a long line of efforts towards implants. I'm certainly interested in the enhancement of cognitive function but it's uploading that interests me.

Diamandis eschews addressing it in the article and I suppose I don't blame him. Peradventure it's a gamble and making any prognostications one way or another only invites ridicule. At the same time, why focus on extending lifespan when you can get rid of "meat" completely? Upload your consciousness to computer. Truly live forever. Switch from artificial body to artificial body, bodies of any size or form you wish. Have complete control over your physical self...if you even choose to have a physical self. The consciousness, the mental faculties, what makes you "you," isn't that what we really want to retain? I certainly wouldn't mind being unhindered by meat.

I understand that might not be a popular view but it just grows more and more enticing to me. So much less to keep up, so many ways to modify, and so much less that can go wrong. Think about it. What could be a more "recession proof" existence than not needing food or shelter?

Then again I'm having nasty problems with my wireless router right now, so maybe that doesn't bode well.


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