Giving Society a Hive Mind
What Is Hive Mind?
The human race has been enhancing itself since the beginning. These enhancements took forms in herbs, drugs, and now technology. Transhumanism is the belief that humans should use technology and other resources to become better. There are different ideas of how to become posthuman (once transformed the transhumanists refer to themselves as (posthuman). One of these ideas is having a hive mind. A hive mind is the idea of uploading thoughts, memories, and feelings to an ominous central location. This will work with brain-to-brain linkage making society think as one. It is called a “hive mind” due to it being much like a beehive; the society would be synonymous to worker bees. Worker bees do what is needed for the society. Hive mind is the process of uploading the mind to a central location. The central location would be full of high-powered computers and databases for all of society to be working on. Once this is accomplished, minds would be able to link thoughts, memories, information, and ideas to be shared amongst everyone.
What are the Advantages?
There are some advantages to this transhumanist way of life such as: thought speed, growth of information, and a better understanding of the human brain.
Speed of Thought in Humans Would Increase.
Thoughts would be running on hard drives that would increase speed and link thoughts together. Knowledge could be downloaded at computer speeds and integrated instantly into memory for everyone to use and learn from. Hive mind is not just a collaboration between people in a society, but also between computers. There would be a plethora of knowledge to obtain.
Wealth of Information
There would be a growth of information in the societies that choose to go this route in the transhumanist movement. The amount of new information available to the public would increase exponentially due to the linkage between minds and computers.
Better Understanding
There would be a better understanding of the human brain. There is already research going into the ability to upload a brain onto a computer. With the brain being as complex as it is, being able to trick neurons into running on hard drives is a fantastic leap for the medical field. This would greatly help in the advancement in the medical field. Scientists would be able to better understand psychological disorders, regions in the brain, and electrical linkages in the brain.
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Dr. Anders Sandberg a professor of neuro science and philosophy at Oxford University as well as a well-known transhumanist discusses whole-brain emulation, hive mind, transhumanism. While discussing these topics he talks about the ethics involved and how near this technology is.
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Reference
Doig M. (2012) A rationalist approach to transhumanism and the singularity. Issues. 2012;98:37-40. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1001443476?accountid=29001.
McIntosh, D. (2008) Human, transhuman, posthuman: implicationsof evolution-by-design for human security. Journal of Human Security. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow
Richard, A. (2008) Overcoming the objectification of nature in constitutive theories: Toward a transhuman, materialist theory of communication. Western Journal of Communication.62(3):244-272. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/202695855?accountid=29001.
The blue brain project. (2011). Retrieved from http://bluebrain.epfl.ch/cms/lang/en/pid/56882
Verdoux, P. (2009). Transhumanism, progress and the future. Retrieved from http://jetpress.org/v20/verdoux.htm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Usciences
WR102-04
Adriana Seni
WR102-04
Adriana Seni