Transhumanism

Failsauce
Failsauce: This is a discussion about the ethics of going beyond human. That is to say, augmented. Mechanical replacements for limbs, organs or tissues. Do you think people should be allowed to augment themselves? Should it be reserved for those who would die otherwise? Should there be limits placed on augmentation? Discuss below.
12 years ago Report
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Yan26
Yan26: I dont think there is anything wrong in augmenting oneself. In fact I think it is inevitable and not unnatural that humans would start augmenting themselves with machines.
My logic behind saying it is not unnatural is that if you see nature every animal has an ability which helps it survive from one generation to another. All except humans. We are not fast runners, have poor eyesight , poor strength cannot live on trees, cannot fly , live underground or produce in large nos. Yet we are the most dominant species on the planet. It is because of our ability to create technology .We cant hunt down animals so we created implements which could. We cant see far so we created implements which could. We dont have great strength so we create implements which have. Technology arises from our brain and is what helps humans survive and hence any use of technology has to be considered natural.
I think it is inevitable especially in the field of AI where by placing chips in our brain we can augment our capacity for thinking .Chip implantation would be much more likely to result in helping us take intelligence to a new level.It would also be much more efficient than trying to create machines which are like us .
I dont think in the future it will be humans vs machines. I think it will be more like part humans part machine.
12 years ago Report
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Failsauce
Failsauce: Great reply. I whole-heartedly agree with you. The contrary argument is usually the religious one. Where we are made in gods image and changing our image is deemed heresy. I believe that extreme augmentation is the only viable means we have of branching out from this rock.
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duncan124
duncan124: You have to have better eye sight if you are running faster I agree but what augmentation or implements would people choose and would you like to live near them if they could choose? what's the "logic behind"?
12 years ago Report
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LiptonCambell
LiptonCambell: Lol clearly you've been playing Deus Ex.

In the context of the game, they're doing everything right.....its your body, you should be allowed to do anything you want to it. Ultimately, I think individual rights is the answer.
12 years ago Report
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Yan26
Yan26: The way i see it "Augmentation" could be based on medical necessity as in a person without an arm , legs or eyes being provided artificial ones . They could also be based on job requirements.
For eg In space exploration . Human body as we know it is too weak to be able to withstand the rigors of space exploration. By augmentation we could augment the respiratory system so that it can handle gases which would have been poisonous to us and convert them into oxygen.

This is just my view of how things would be.

Yes this would change our concept of humanity. But science always changes they way we live and hence what we perceive as human.
"would you like to live near them if they could choose" Would you like to live near a Neanderthal man? I dont know. Some things we just have to find out as we go along.
12 years ago Report
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duncan124
duncan124: @Lipton Cambell. Clearly you are a thief. People worked hard to bring somethings they had and needed with them to Berlin and you stole them from them.You are anti-human scum. Why can't you live on the German handout like all the others do? When I was in Berlin you tried to break in to the the room where I was. I hit you then and saw you creeping along the streets with your jemmy and other peoples belongings.

Most of the a human can be replaced today with "plastic" parts by a Doctor. Many people have benefited from this already. All the organs,eyes and bones can be replaced and tha brain can be cermented together if torn up. ....terms and conditions apply see you Doctor for more details.

Yes I would like to live next to a Neanderthal. There are misconceptions about the shape of his skull. They were large headed and only over the thousands of years the bones were in the soil and water did they become flattened and distorted.

I did n,t like sitting next to a Canadian/German who claimed he was an intellectual and his father gave seminars in a university about social work. He combed his hair straight on the top of his head because of the shape of his skull I thought. Cleary they were Germans who had studied the "society" were they found themself and were prepared to give speechs about it. He always said he wanted to be a "social worker" like his father.
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LiptonCambell
LiptonCambell: .....Does anything duncan said make sense to anyone?
12 years ago Report
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Failsauce
Failsauce: Completely off topic. Yes I have been playing des ex lately. But sometimes life and art progress concurrently. Today most advanced prophetic are just shy of being full on cyborg replacement limbs. The other reason I'm interested in the topic is because I'm considering going to school for biomechanical engineering. Ethics, among other philosophical issues will probably be a big part of where this technology goes.

Of course the military will be the first to use such things, and with less hesitation. When it makes other to private sector, would you rather have a worker whose body does not get tired? Whose insurance will cover a new part should his get damaged? Who would hire a person who hasn't been augmented? I imagine non-augmented people will become the new "handicapped". Where people that have highly durable parts do not need special concessions to work in hazardous environments (like space). The social dissonance would certainly lead to protests.
12 years ago Report
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duncan124
duncan124: Perhaps germans call things by different names. "Biomechcanical Engineering" sounds more like bathroom engineering then medical science.
If military issue equipment then it has to be returned to the MOD( in the uk) with good reason. If they had their implants removed when they left how would they feel when they returned to civi street?
12 years ago Report
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dave3974
dave3974: military augmentation technology is being pioneered in the uk , but still above top secret , nottingham university has completed some interesting work along the Haus theorys for the MOD , but i ubdersatnd that rejection is still a problem
12 years ago Report
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duncan124
duncan124: Rejection..?! I think everyone hates them.They need augmentation. Fake humans cetainly have gotten hold of all the military hardware and were marching about recruiting people. Perhaps to speed up the end of Humankind. I mean there must be some reason for them to do it. They also tried to take over Boots the Chemists!
(Edited by duncan124)
12 years ago Report
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LiptonCambell
LiptonCambell: ....uhh he was talking about their BODIES rejecting them. You know- like how you give someone a new heart, and the body "rejects" it.....
12 years ago Report
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dave3974
dave3974: never send an email after taking illegal drugs
12 years ago Report
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