BBC Visions of the Future series

Splittet · 08-31-2008, 01:42 PM

Episode 1 - The Intelligence Revolution: Vision of the future (part 1): the intelligent revolution or http://www.mininova.org/get/1011659
Episode 2 - The Biotech Revolution: Visions of the Future (2 of 3) The Biotech Revolution or http://www.mininova.org/get/1016904
Episode 3 - The Quantum Revolution: Visions Of The Future (3 of 3) The Quantum Revolution or http://www.mininova.org/get/1017093

I just watched the first episode of this fascinating series, and I am looking forward to the rest. The first episode is about the coming intelligence revolution. Imagine enhanced human intelligence and creative AI. Creative AI seems maybe far away, how should one program it? But our brain is creative, and if it is bound by the laws of nature, we should be able to figure out how to create creative machines as well. All of this must lead to a self-enhancing boom in knowledge, and the possibilities seem indeed endless.

One of the most interesting current technologies presented in the program was for me a brain chip that controlled mood, and it had cured a lady who had been depressed for 20 years of it. It seems like in the future we won't only be far more intelligent, but also far happier!

I also think the notion of evolution is too narrow at the moment. Darwin studied animals, and because animals don't have culture, culture came to be seen as separate from evolution. If you want to view humans in an evolutionary perspective, I don't think you get the complete picture without also considering culture, and indeed it adds something extra to it, and culture in an evolutionary perspective is fascinating.

What are your thoughts on this series?

My mind raises the question if there are large enough resources on Earth to full support this revolution though, but I really don't have a clue. Also I am slightly pissed for not being born in 100 years, and won't feel the full effect of the coming revolution.

Geoff · 08-31-2008, 02:02 PM

Great series.. it broadens the mind. Enjoy the other episodes!

colmena · 08-31-2008, 02:03 PM

+1. I was lucky enough to catch this on TV.

Splittet · 08-31-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

Great series.. it broadens the mind. Enjoy the other episodes!

Indeed. I must say I think a key technology is the development of creative AI. The degree to which we can push that technology, will have a tremendous impact on the progress of science. If we get to the point where computers can make scientific discoveries on their own, we will see a tremendous knowledge boom, and we would also be able to enhance our own creativity. If we are not able to develop creative AI, we will continue to be bound by the current level of human creativity, although we will be able to improve for example memory, but scientific progress would not be nearly as fast...

substitute · 08-31-2008, 03:45 PM

Damn, I want to watch these but I've no sound on my laptop

It'll be the priority of things to con my techie brother into fixing when he comes over later

Splittet · 08-31-2008, 04:31 PM

Wow, I just saw the second episode, and suddenly eternal life seems perfectly possible. I don't think we will really be able to live in the same body our entire lives, but I think we will be able to download our consciousness into a chip or something and switch bodies, perhaps through just cloning ourselves.

Also I am not very concerned by how some might be able to genetically enhance themselves and others not, because one has resources and others not. The thing is I think this only will be a problem for something like 100 years. In the future I don't really see a need for humans to work, and enhancements like that would only be a problem if there was competition. But robots will be able to do all our work for us, if we are able to develop creative AI, so I guess humans will be able to pursue whatever they like. And the quality of life will be greatly enhanced by being able to manipulate mood parts in the brain.

Then again there is the issue of resources though. I am not sure Earth would be able to support the availability of all this technology for everyone... Space travel could therefore be important to develop as a means of collecting resources. Maybe 1 child policies will be necessary in all the world as world, as the number of people in the world will only continue to grow exponentially. I guess terraforming Mars for example could become necessary, and who knows how long it will take before that happens. Exciting stuff, the possibilities are amazing! Science fiction actually pales...

08-31-2008, 01:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
Splittet Wannabe genius Join Date: Jun 2007 Type: INTJ Location: Norway Posts: 554	BBC Visions of the Future series Episode 1 - The Intelligence Revolution: Vision of the future (part 1): the intelligent revolution or http://www.mininova.org/get/1011659 Episode 2 - The Biotech Revolution: Visions of the Future (2 of 3) The Biotech Revolution or http://www.mininova.org/get/1016904 Episode 3 - The Quantum Revolution: Visions Of The Future (3 of 3) The Quantum Revolution or http://www.mininova.org/get/1017093 I just watched the first episode of this fascinating series, and I am looking forward to the rest. The first episode is about the coming intelligence revolution. Imagine enhanced human intelligence and creative AI. Creative AI seems maybe far away, how should one program it? But our brain is creative, and if it is bound by the laws of nature, we should be able to figure out how to create creative machines as well. All of this must lead to a self-enhancing boom in knowledge, and the possibilities seem indeed endless. One of the most interesting current technologies presented in the program was for me a brain chip that controlled mood, and it had cured a lady who had been depressed for 20 years of it. It seems like in the future we won't only be far more intelligent, but also far happier! I also think the notion of evolution is too narrow at the moment. Darwin studied animals, and because animals don't have culture, culture came to be seen as separate from evolution. If you want to view humans in an evolutionary perspective, I don't think you get the complete picture without also considering culture, and indeed it adds something extra to it, and culture in an evolutionary perspective is fascinating. What are your thoughts on this series? My mind raises the question if there are large enough resources on Earth to full support this revolution though, but I really don't have a clue. Also I am slightly pissed for not being born in 100 years, and won't feel the full effect of the coming revolution. __________________ "Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." - Wolfgang Amadé Mozart

08-31-2008, 02:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
colmena A Time Life Classic Join Date: Apr 2008 Type: INXP Location: UK Posts: 1,479	+1. I was lucky enough to catch this on TV. __________________ http://badges.mypersonality.info/badge/0/6/68764.png colmena's recent film rankings Ti Ne Fi Ni -How beautiful, this pale Endymion hour. -What are you talking about? -Endymion, my dear. A beautiful youth possessed by the moon. -Well, forget about him and get to bed. -Yes, my dear.

08-31-2008, 03:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
substitute abv 4.8% Join Date: May 2007 Type: ENTP Location: Europe Posts: 3,894	Damn, I want to watch these but I've no sound on my laptop It'll be the priority of things to con my techie brother into fixing when he comes over later __________________ (Ne > Ti = Te > Fe > Ni > Se > Si > Fi) = (ENTP/J 7w8) = unholy hybrid honore et sincerite factus sum My Flickr ...... My NT Blog

08-31-2008, 04:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
Splittet Wannabe genius Join Date: Jun 2007 Type: INTJ Location: Norway Posts: 554	Wow, I just saw the second episode, and suddenly eternal life seems perfectly possible. I don't think we will really be able to live in the same body our entire lives, but I think we will be able to download our consciousness into a chip or something and switch bodies, perhaps through just cloning ourselves. Also I am not very concerned by how some might be able to genetically enhance themselves and others not, because one has resources and others not. The thing is I think this only will be a problem for something like 100 years. In the future I don't really see a need for humans to work, and enhancements like that would only be a problem if there was competition. But robots will be able to do all our work for us, if we are able to develop creative AI, so I guess humans will be able to pursue whatever they like. And the quality of life will be greatly enhanced by being able to manipulate mood parts in the brain. Then again there is the issue of resources though. I am not sure Earth would be able to support the availability of all this technology for everyone... Space travel could therefore be important to develop as a means of collecting resources. Maybe 1 child policies will be necessary in all the world as world, as the number of people in the world will only continue to grow exponentially. I guess terraforming Mars for example could become necessary, and who knows how long it will take before that happens. Exciting stuff, the possibilities are amazing! Science fiction actually pales... __________________ "Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." - Wolfgang Amadé Mozart

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08-31-2008, 02:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Geoff Moderating in the rain Join Date: Apr 2007 Type: INXP Location: Southern England Posts: 3,274	Great series.. it broadens the mind. Enjoy the other episodes!