 |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Origin >
Dangerous Futures >
Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
Permanent link to this article: http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?main=/articles/art0132.html
Printable Version |
|
| |
|
Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
Integration of human and machine will lead to an interconnected "organism"--the next major evolutionary step forward for humanity, says immunology PhD candidate Danny Belkin.
Originally published February 26, 2001 on KurzweilAI.net.
The discussion regarding the fate of the human race, recently addressed in Bill Joy's article in Wired has focused mainly on the question of technologies which might endanger that future. One specific threat which has been discussed is the danger posed to humans from a superior robot species. While the discussion itself is an important and relevant one, I would suggest that robotics and other technological developments may yet, should we avoid self-destruction, free us from worry about such threats, and instead present us with a future quite different from the common "humankind manages not to destroy itself and sets out to colonise the galaxy" scenario.
The drive for scientific and technological development during the last century, while indeed creating great dangers to our very existence, has brought us to the brink of a major change not only in the way we live, but in who we are--both individually and as a species. In this broad field of advanced technology, communications and information technology are unique in that they facilitate the advances in technology and push us toward the immense leap that we, as a species, are set to make.
A similar, if slightly less complex situation occurred on this planet a long time ago. MulticellularityMany millions of years ago, the first living cells evolved. These ancient unicellular organisms, swimming about in the primordial soup, had a sole function--survival in order to reproduce. Their chances of survival could be jeopardised by the conditions in which they lived, parasites, or other cells competing with them for the same energy source.
Over millions of years, the evolving cells acquired increasingly sophisticated ways to cope with these threats. They developed biological mechanisms that could counter the damaging effect of their surroundings, offensive mechanisms and defensive counter-measures to cope with the competing organisms and, ultimately, co-operation between cells of the same species.
Offensive mechanisms could be used by these cells in order to achieve superiority over competing organisms, allowing the triumphant cells to reproduce and proliferate. These mechanisms are believed to have been the precursors for the much more complex systems that control cell death in higher organisms. Cell death processes, tweaked and refined during evolution, entered a new stage upon the emergence of Eukaryotes. These more highly evolved cells contained cellular bodies and compartments, in which more complex biological processes occur.
Over the eons during which these cells evolved, communication and co-operation between individual cells emerged as key factors in the struggle for survival under adverse conditions. Over millions of years, this co-operation increased to the point at which the cells combined to become multicellular organisms. The emergence of multicellular organisms can be viewed as a highly significant leap forward in the evolutionary process. It was the first time individual organisms had established a permanent connection with one another in order to collectively enhance their chances of survival. These primitive multicellular organisms developed complex intra- and inter-cellular signaling networks, some of which were aimed at regulating cell death. These increased their chances of survival by getting rid of the cells least likely to cope with the environment and thus minimising energy expenditure by the organism. Dead cells could also be used to shield the multicellular organisms from the environment. Some of these mechanisms, such as the protective dead outer layers of the skin, are still evident in humans.
Thus, programmed cell death (PCD), generally defined as a biological mechanism for the removal of superfluous, infected, or damaged cells by activation of an intrinsic suicide program, gives a cell population the "ability" to select its fittest cells. It also allows a cell population to adapt its numbers to a changing environment.
These terms "selection", "adapt", " fit" are familiar to us from the theory of evolution. However, PCD and the theory of evolution may have more in common than mere terminology. PCD is a mechanism that is used extensively during an organism's development, mainly for optimising connections between cells and killing potentially harmful or redundant cells. Thus, it allows the killing of those cells that have grown incorrectly and/or have been damaged. In other words, harmless cells that have developed in the appropriate circumstances (in which the cell's microenvironment and neighboring cells supply the suitable conditions) will survive. In evolutionary terms, only the "fit" cells will survive. This "micro-evolution" during an organism's growth makes it possible for the individual to achieve the best functional interconnected cell population, based upon the genetic blueprint for that organism. Homo sapiens and other highly evolved species have a long life span, and as a consequence the rate of their evolution is very slow. This is clearly evident in comparison with bacteria, which mutate rapidly and can therefore cope with adverse conditions that would otherwise wipe out an entire population. A rapid mutation rate can lead to the emergence of an individual whose genetic makeup has changed enough to allow it to grow even in an unfavorable environment. This rapid evolution is the underlying cause of the appearance of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. The slow pace of genetic mutation and selection in organisms higher on the evolutionary scale promoted the development of biological systems that would allow these organisms to cope with changes in the environment and attack by other living creatures in another way--not by genetic mutation and selection of the fittest organisms for survival, but by adaptation of the "selection" process into the organism, becoming a process that occurs within the organism during its lifetime.
In humans, this "selective" PCD process, especially during the development of the central nervous system (CNS), is one of the factors enabling the thinking process and intelligence. In the brain, the death of unnecessary cells means that only those cells with the best connections to their neighboring cells will survive, thus ensuring the optimal configuration and "wiring" of brain neurons. In illustrating this, researchers used a computer neural network model to examine the value of neuronal overproduction and the role of PCD in the development of the brain. They found that neuronal overproduction, with the subsequent deletion of neurons, allowed significantly greater learning ability (problem-solving ability) than that accomplished when starting out with only the necessary number of neurons. In more developed organisms PCD is an important factor in the creation of the networks, allowing complex brain functions.
Another important area in which PCD is utilized in humans is the immune system. A vast number of potentially harmful pathogens are present in our environment. These micro-organisms possess rapid rates of mutation, which lead to the emergence of strains capable of surviving natural human defense mechanisms or modern antibiotics. Humans and other advanced organisms take longer to evolve, as their genetic changes occur during much longer time periods, and thus must develop a mechanism to cope with this constant attack. In response to this need, the immune system_in which massive killing of unnecessary and potentially harmful cells occurs during early development--was developed and grew progressively more complex during evolution.
Thus, the development of both the immune and the central nervous systems can be viewed as the result of a change in the evolutionary process of selection, from a process that occurs within a population and is influenced by the surrounding environment to an internal developmental process that supplies humans with intelligence and consciousness (through development of a complex brain) and the ability to fend off attack from pathogens (through a defensive immune system).
Carrying this line of thought further, it can be argued that the development of intelligence and consciousness has enabled humans to begin "disconnecting" from the classical evolutionary selection process. Developed countries offer their citizens modern medicine, which means that in most cases people now survive the bacterial and viral infections that would have killed them during the first half of the 20th century, and instead die from heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and other aging-related, inherent dysfunctions of the human body, for which cures will probably be found in the future.
Furthermore, the way in which human genes are spread has changed. No longer are they transmitted according to the evolutionary maxim of "survival of the fittest." Modern norms and perceptions have a stronger effect on the process of mating than choosing the strongest male in the tribe. Most individuals marry only once or twice and consequently do not spread their genes widely. The genetically and physically "weak" do not die, and thus weak genetic traits are passed on and do not disappear. It thus seems that the way in which the process of evolution occurs has changed; it is no longer a process involving the selection of the fittest organisms, but has turned into a neuronal developmental one. Occurring in the brain, it allows us to overcome the mainly physical factors which used to play such an important part in determining which individuals would survive and which wouldn't; and it clearly influences the way genes are spread (geeks are now good prospects!). Human culture and science advance by means of the pooling of information, whether acquired through meetings, correspondence, or literature. Thus, communication is the method by which human knowledge and technological ability continue to progress. Better means of communication allow the pooling of our knowledge in more efficient ways, giving rise to a more rapid pace of scientific and technological research and development. This in turn fuels accelerated communication, the result of which we can see today as an explosion in technological advancement.
What does this have to do with PCD and evolution? As proposed earlier, humanity has all but ceased to evolve in the way described by Darwin--by the incorporation and utilization of PCD as an evolutionary system, allowing intelligence (a process which occurred over millions of years). And intelligence itself, brought forth and refined by various mechanisms for the selection and connection of the fittest cells, has created the means to facilitate better communications between human beings. The latest step in this process is the Internet--which, to use a worn out cliché, "is bringing people closer together."
This advancement in interpersonal communications is set to continue, the ultimate stage being the development of a totally integrated system of human communication, which is likely to be achieved by highly advanced human--computer interface systems. Preliminary research on this subject is already being done, for example in the implantation of artificial retinas, connected to the optic nerve, into eyes of blind people. As computers are already interconnected, the merging of humans into a super-high-bandwidth computer network will bring about the next level of human evolution: a human-computer meta-network.
Just as the merging of a large number of individual cells ultimately led to the development of consciousness, the merging of humans into an interconnected computer meta-network will eventually create a collective consciousness for all the individual participants. The forerunner of this "global" consciousness is already evident: our world is already described as a global village. Mass media, the Internet, and present-day communications make it possible for people with access to these services to know instantly what is going on in every part of the globe. Information is much more immediately accessible; withholding it from the public much more difficult. As a consequence, public opinion (stemming from the emerging global consciousness) has become such an important factor that the media has become a major fighting ground for governments.
The way in which information technology is progressing shows that we are already quite far along this road. The simplicity of information distribution, be it sharing of music, ideas, or any other data, lies at the heart of the Internet. This sharing is set to develop as technology does, leading ultimately to a state in which information flows freely.
Computing power sharing on the Internet is another area that demonstrates the power of the network, and its importance is likely to increase. SETI@home is a good example of what can be done by pooling the vast amount of unused computing resources available through the Internet. Up to now, most computers have been used as end-terminals for information accessed through the net. The true capabilities and potential of an interconnected computer network, even in terms of raw processing power, are mind-boggling. Imagine what a network of fully interconnected humans, their mental abilities pooled and enhanced, will be like. Questions and ThoughtsTo the majority of observers, the development of modern technology must seem as a random, uncontrolled process. Metaphorically, we are seen as riding out of control on this mustang called technological development. The individuals who make this happen are motivated by various forces: some are in it for the money, some for the pure fascination of scientific discovery, and some want to make the world a better place. Consider, as an example, the currently booming technology of IT. The development of communications technology has goals that transcend the immediate aim of, say, enabling people to surf the net using a cellular phone. There is a tendency to look only at the immediate, everyday-life implications of this technology, rather than seeing what lies at the end of the path we are taking. Increasing the bandwidth more and more, pulling individuals closer and closer together, are steps in a process that will ultimately lead to the unification of the human race.
The high capacity of data transfer and high level of communications between individuals is the key to development of a unified total consciousness. Physically, though, individuals are likely to remain separate. This is a an important point, as even though the interconnected masses will operate for the advancement of the whole, a degree of individuality and autonomy, as the individual cells in our body possess, is vital. Furthermore, the flow of data between individuals will not be entirely unobstructed, as the single mind will not be able to cope with such vast amounts of information. Certain filters will have to be set up and maintained to sort out the relevant from the irrelevant data.
At some point after the integration of humans and machines, an additional step will have to be taken: incorporation of PCD, resulting in disconnection of the weaker links (or individual constituents) from the collective network. Only once PCD, or the principle underlying it, has been incorporated will it be possible to accomplish the leap to a higher state of consciousness and intelligence--an intelligence which is the sum of all the minds connected to the network, and which lies beyond what any of us can imagine.
A related aspect concerns loss of privacy. Will people want this to happen at all? Why would anyone voluntarily relinquish control of an independent consciousness, allowing personal thoughts, memories and consciousness to be shared, at a certain level, by the entire population? The answer, which may sound frightening, is that the obvious choice will be between acceptance of one's integration into the network and consequent loss of individualism through joining the super-organism, or remaining separate, outside it. Those not joining will sentence themselves to being the lesser life forms of this planet, lower on the evolutionary scale. Ponder for one moment the difference between a human and a bacterium.
The pooling of human consciousness may begin with the transferral of all our knowledge to computers. This is already happening on the Internet. At a later stage of scientific advancement, a physical connection of humans to the matrix at higher and higher levels (via advances in nervous/computer interface technology) will be possible. Thereafter, with humans completely interconnected through a network, questions might arises as to the relevance of the physical world. Could we simply upload all our consciousness to this virtual world? Would we then create a comparable world inside the network?
As mentioned earlier, the creation of multicellular organisms can be viewed as an evolutionary leap. The same might be said about the integration of human and machine to create a wholly interconnected "organism", composed of multitudes of individuals. It will be an immense leap for humanity, or for what it becomes. This idea has been put forward by scientists and by writers of science fiction. It may be seen as good ("enlightenment through computers") or bad (will we become the Borg?)--the end of humanity as we know it, a utopia, or both.
It seems, though, that this is not an appropriate question: humanity will have to come to terms with the fact that it is but an insignificant part of the universe, and as such must conform to its physical and biological laws and their resulting processes, among them evolution. Whether we like it or not, the time has come when our evolution has brought us to a doorway, beyond which lies what we cannot grasp by means of our limited, single-brain-power thought. We cannot possibly fathom the thoughts and conscious scope of billions of linked minds, acting together.
This vision may seem horrifying to some, thrilling to others. It is the next major evolutionary step forward for humanity, and will eventually be taken. However we choose to view this scenario, the fact remains that this is the future toward which we are inevitably heading.
This is not about good or bad. It is about evolution. Humankind must evolve.
Note: This article represents my opinion, based on both evolutionary patterns as they have occurred during the history of life on this planet and the direction in which, in my view, the development of humans and our technology has been moving during the last few centuries. It is, nonetheless, only a personal view. Some of the ideas expressed here represent a scientific consensus, while most are pure conjecture--science fiction if you like.
| | Join the discussion about this article on Mind·X! | |
|
| |
Mind·X Discussion About This Article:
 |
|
|
 |
Re: Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
|
|
 |
|
What evolutionary pressures would drive us to "evolve" into a networked mind, particularly one that eliminates the conscious self (which is, after all, itself a useful, evolved mental construct)?
Nanotechnology might eventually take us there by weakening the bonds of mutual dependence that hold society together, while vastly increasing the power that an individual or small group can wield. The ability to easily reproduce intelligent machine servants, or even copy humans, reduces the value of forming large coalitions, and tends to emphasize the value of (and hence conflicts over) energy resources.
When it becomes possible to produce copies of people (identity becoming multiplicity), large tribes of one or two basic "selves" might come into being, which would be more willing to form a group mind. Such multiplied egos might also see even less value in outside social interaction, and tend to be more "selfish", resulting in competition between multi-selves, and hence perhaps driving evolution.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Re: Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
|
|
|
|
Throughout the history of living organisms, networking has played a pivotal role in evolution. We have the evolution of the vast interconnection of cell networks to thank for blessing us with the consciousness and sentient intelligence we have today. Humans have used networks for centuries as a platform for sharing knowledge, although the medium has changed dramatically over time.
It's unquestionable that Internet has redefined the entire landscape of communication, and has facilitated our ability, in a sense, to take control of our own evolution. The theory of one interconnected organism would have unimaginable benefits, as every single piece of known information, including the thoughts of others, could be easily and immediately accessible by anyone else at any time. However, I believe that privacy and solitude are critical to human development and happiness; we need to have a chance to stop for a moment to reflect on life and organize our thoughts. As a result, we would need to have the ability to disconnect from this network when we so choose. Additionally, some information is never meant to be shared with the rest of the world, so the option of protecting our own thoughts and ideas from public access would be necessary.
However, I believe that the critical flaw in this conceptual network lies in its basic philosophy, which is 'survival of the fittest'. To illustrate an example, it could be argued that people in developing countries are weaker than we who are fortunate to live in developed countries, because of our access to healthcare, higher education, etc. Many individuals and companies in developed countries have pledged resources such as time and money to help end the struggle that these people face every day. It could also be argued that we could have used these resources instead to further our own advancement while letting these people suffer in their own misery. However, many would agree that this line of thinking is absurd and even downright nasty. Unlike a multicellular network, we do not kill off the weaker members of our human network, nor do we attempt to disconnect them from society. We, unlike the cells we are made of, do not possess the singular focus of survival and evolution at the expense of our own members. Because of this, Danny Belkin's dream of a single interconnected 'organism' will likely never see the light of day. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
|
|
|
|
This article is fascinating in the potential it presents for the future of humanity. Many would never fathom the possibility of an interconnected mental network especially as a part of natural evolution. Most individuals would believe that if this idea were to come to fruition it would occur through external means of advanced technological devices or services but not through human evolution. When most of us look to the future we rarely look at the potential changes in humans, rather we look at changes in our environment and the technologies we develop to better cope.
That being said, it truly is an exciting idea to consider. Imagine sitting down to an exam and being able to lookup information instantaneously in your mind and come up with the answer immediately from a pool of knowledge from billions of other people. This could mean the end of traditional education as we know it. It could also provide direct communication with other individuals anywhere in the world, making mail, telephone and even email obsolete. It could also mean huge potential increases in the ability to advance the capabilities of mankind. Individuals would have a wealth of knowledge from the minds of potentially every other individual on the planet when pondering a problem. The potential possibilities truly are endless.
With this would also come certain fears and distrust. Would we be able to guard our own private thoughts? Would we be subject to denial of service attacks (or other attacks) on our minds? Could we be shutdown by a malicious 'mind-hacker' on the other side of the world? The possibility brings many potential fears and worries. If we are connected as computer networks are today, would we not be subject to the security breeches and safety issues that plague the Internet? Much like network security is breeched on a regular basis today, we too could become the target for mental attacks.
Although the potential possibilities and benefits of this idea seem remarkable, we must approach the idea with some concern. If Belkin's idea were to come to fruition, we could risk having the malicious attacks currently perpetrated on computer systems perpetrated on individuals like you and I, and unlike a down server that can be re-booted or repaired, the human body may not be as resilient to these attacks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
|
|
|
|
This article definitely presents an intriguing possibility for the future. However, the idea that humanity is moving towards a collective consciousness is merely one of the many competing ideas about the future. Other ideas such as super intelligent robots and humans with cybernetic enhancements also have their own convincing arguments and logic presented by their proponents.
This begs the question: which of these ideas contains the most viable path that our evolution will take in the future? While I do have my questions about each of these proposals, I would like to focus on the viability of this particular topic for now. Is it truly possible that we humans are nearing the end of having individual consciousnesses and moving towards unification, and even if we are, is it truly adaptive to us as a species?
In evolutionary psychology, the two primary problems faced by our ancient ancestors living in groups are considered to be 'getting along' and 'getting ahead'. While 'getting along' refers to working with your group to ensure survival, 'getting ahead' means standing out and establishing your identity and power within the group. This is true even to this day. We humans are proud of our individuality. We like to stand out, exhibit our individual talents, and be acknowledged for what we possess. We like to compete, to win and be recognized for it. It can be argued that this is the very reason behind our growth. Scientists competing in their respective fields to make the greatest discoveries, athletes competing to be the best in their sport, companies competing against each other to manufacture the best product and even nations striving to be the mightiest in the world; all driven by competition and the drive to get ahead. But say that we all become part of the same consciousness; one big melting pot. What is left there to drive us forward? We are already the dominant species of the planet, so we can rule out competition from organisms that are lower on the evolutionary scale. If we can't compete against each other, then who do we compete against; aliens? Or is collective consciousness the final step in our evolution, the answer to all of mankind's problems?
Another point is the question of whether or not to become part of this collective consciousness. The author states that humans will have the choice of joining the collective consciousness or staying outside of it as a lesser life form in the evolutionary scale. However, I do not believe that these are the only choices. To begin with, how many people will willingly give up their individuality? I dare say not very many. Convincing people to give up their individual consciousnesses will not be a very easy thing to do. Also, in the presence of less controversial alternatives for increasing your brain power such as cybernetic implants, collective consciousness may seem less appealing. Given the widespread belief that computer technology would have advanced enough to make processors that can match the processing power of millions of human brains by the latter half of the 21st century, cybernetic implants seem like a very real and viable alternative indeed.
This is not to say I wholly disagree with the concept of a collective conscious. It does have its benefits such as the sharing of mental resources. However, to be truly viable, I believe that it should somehow allow the individual to retain his or her consciousness, but at the same time have the benefit of having access to the wide resources of others minds. In other words, each of us should be able to draw the line on how much we want to share and just like today's Internet we should have the option of 'disconnecting' ourselves if we wish to do so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
|
|
|
|
RE: Evolution and the Internet
I was impressed with the idea of a new level of humanity based on the internet. It echoed an idea from my faith, the Baha'i Faith, which promotes the idea of the unity of mankind on all levels. The founder, Baha'u'llah, proclaimed that a mankind had been given the means to create unity, which would facilitate the elimination of misunderstanding. Strangely enough, he proclaimed these things before such things were available. The first telegraph message had been sent on the day of the revelation of his precursor (1844)and the first effort at a transatlantic cable was attempted in the year of his own revelation (1853). However, as he lived most of his adult life as a refugee, exile and prisoner in the Middle East, he had no way of obtaining this information. Many of his teachings, such as a common script, currency, etc., although unthought of in His lifetime, are ideas that are in the process of becoming accepted ideas worldwide, for ex: the EU, WTO, UN.
"A mighty force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influence, and not upon the differences which appear from it."
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 221)
I see these changes in communication of all kinds, internet, telecommunications, and media such as television, etc., as the physical means or medium by which the unification of mankind will take place. The internet is one means to the end, by allowing all men to learn about and accept others of other cultures, races, religions, nationalities, etc. Knowledge overcomes ignorance, from which develops prejudice and hatred. The internet also promotes the equal access of all to education of all kinds - languages, science, technical, history, so all are then on an equal playing field. Communication enhances the ability of businesses to obtain manpower, material and markets, thus providing a network to eliminate want. It also provides the means for governments to work together toward common goals.
On another level, I see this expansion of communication as one evidence of the truth of Baha'u'llah's statement, speaking as a Messenger of God, that God has opened the doors of the sciences:
"In like manner, the moment the word expressing My attribute "The Omniscient" issueth forth from My mouth, every created thing will, according to its capacity and limitations, be invested with the power to unfold the knowledge of the most marvelous sciences, and will be empowered to manifest them in the course of time at the bidding of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Knowing." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 142)
"Unveiled and unconcealed, this Wronged One hath, at all times, proclaimed before the face of all the peoples of the world that which will serve as the key for unlocking the doors of sciences, of arts, of knowledge, of well-being, of prosperity and wealth." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 96)
"Erelong shall We bring into being through thee exponents of new and wondrous sciences, of potent and effective crafts, and shall make manifest through them that which the heart of none of Our servants hath yet conceived. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 35)
I can guess what many might think of this, but if you look at copy of "The Economist" published less than two years ago, you will find a chart demonstrating that right around 1844, right after someone proposed closing the U.S. Patent Office, inventions blossomed and have continued to do so at a rate completely unheard of previously.
We will also, through all these means of communication, have the opportunity to search the words of the founders of all the world religions and discover that the essential spiritual teachings of all are the same, allowing men to comprehend that they are all related, not only genetically, as has been shown, but as children of the same God, therefore all equal.
This expanded communication is also allowing all to learn about this new world faith, the values and teachings of which are identical to the essential teachings of the other religions and are the means of uniting mankind on the spiritual level, and which has provided new guidance specifically for this modern age, which earlier messengers did not address. Baha'u'llah has specifically stated that religion and science must be in harmony as the two wings of a bird:
RE: Evolution and the Internet
I was impressed with the idea of a new level of humanity based on the internet. It echoed an idea from my faith, the Baha'i Faith, which promotes the idea of the unity of mankind on all levels. The founder, Baha'u'llah, proclaimed that a mankind had been given the means to create unity, which would facilitate the elimination of misunderstanding. Strangely enough, he proclaimed these things before such things were available. The first telegraph message had been sent on the day of the revelation of his precursor (1844)and the first effort at a transatlantic cable was attempted in the year of his own revelation (1853). However, as he lived most of his adult life as a refugee, exile and prisoner in the Middle East, he had no way of obtaining this information. Many of his teachings, such as a common script, currency, etc., although unthought of in His lifetime, are ideas that are in the process of becoming accepted ideas worldwide, for ex: the EU, WTO, UN.
"A mighty force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influence, and not upon the differences which appear from it."
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 221)
I see these changes in communication of all kinds, internet, telecommunications, and media such as television, etc., as the physical means or medium by which the unification of mankind will take place. The internet is one means to the end, by allowing all men to learn about and accept others of other cultures, races, religions, nationalities, etc. Knowledge overcomes ignorance, from which develops prejudice and hatred. The internet also promotes the equal access of all to education of all kinds - languages, science, technical, history, so all are then on an equal playing field. Communication enhances the ability of businesses to obtain manpower, material and markets, thus providing a network to eliminate want. It also provides the means for governments to work together toward common goals.
On another level, I see this expansion of communication as one evidence of the truth of Baha'u'llah's statement, speaking as a Messenger of God, that God has opened the doors of the sciences:
"In like manner, the moment the word expressing My attribute "The Omniscient" issueth forth from My mouth, every created thing will, according to its capacity and limitations, be invested with the power to unfold the knowledge of the most marvelous sciences, and will be empowered to manifest them in the course of time at the bidding of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Knowing." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 142)
"Unveiled and unconcealed, this Wronged One hath, at all times, proclaimed before the face of all the peoples of the world that which will serve as the key for unlocking the doors of sciences, of arts, of knowledge, of well-being, of prosperity and wealth." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 96)
"Erelong shall We bring into being through thee exponents of new and wondrous sciences, of potent and effective crafts, and shall make manifest through them that which the heart of none of Our servants hath yet conceived. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 35)
I can guess what most would think of this, but if you look at copy of "The Economist" published less than two years ago, you will find a chart demonstrating that right around 1844, right after someone proposed closing the U.S. Patent Office, inventions blossomed and have continued to do so at a rate completely unknown before.
We will also, through all these means of communication, have the opportunity to search the words of the founders of all the world religions and discover that the essential spiritual teachings of all are the same, allowing men to comprehend that they are all related, not only genetically, as has been shown, but as children of the same God, therefore all equal.
This expanded communication is also allowing all to learn about this new world faith, the values and teachings of which are identical to the essential teachings of the other religions and are the means of uniting mankind on the spiritual level, and which has provided new guidance specifically for this modern age, which earlier messengers did not address. Baha'u'llah has specifically stated that religion and science must be in harmony as the two wings of a bird:
"These men who stand out as leaders of the people and are pre-eminent among them, one and all acknowledged their belief in the immortal Being Who holdeth in His grasp the reins of all sciences." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 147)
"The Great Being saith: The learned of the day must direct the people to acquire those branches of knowledge which are of use, that both the learned themselves and the generality of mankind may derive benefits therefrom." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 168)
Understanding this principle will help to erase the superstitous beliefs that result from the misunderstanding of teachings and that are at heart essential spiritual in nature. This will in the long run contribute as well to greater unity. Thus we will be able to act as a single organism with global understanding and goals.
"In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will co-operate, and will harmoniously develop." (Baha'u'llah, The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. xi)
Understanding this principle will help to erase the superstitous beliefs that result from the misunderstanding of teachings and that are at heart essential spiritual in nature. This will in the long run contribute as well to greater unity. Thus we will be able to act as a single organism with global understanding and goals.
"In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will co-operate, and will harmoniously develop." (From the introduction to The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. xi)
For more info, go to www.bahai.org or www.bahai.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
|
|
|
|
I would have to agree with Mr. Belkin. A networked existence is definitely the next step in our neurological evolution. Humankind is obsessed with progress, we need it, and we need it now. Natural evolution takes thousands upon thousands of generations and with life spans increasing as Belkin mentions, it will take us millennia to leap to the next step of evolution. It's simply not fast enough. This fact combined with our thirst for knowledge, leads me to the conclusion that our species is going to supplement the mind with a technological booster kit. An article by New Scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4262) shows that we've already tried this on apes. In this study they attached a chip to the monkey's brain that allowed it to control a third arm, that's not too far off from surgically implanting a chip to allow a user to surf the internet from any location. The pursuit of knowledge is what drives us as a species. A couple hundred years ago, the common man would spend his entire life amassing the knowledge that we presently learn in first two decades of our life. Pythagorean spent his life developing trigonometry and it's taught to us in high school in four months. We're near the limit of what we can learn by reading it in books, or having it taught to us by an instructor. These practices take time and we're impatient. The only way to make learning faster is to skip all the unnecessary steps and download it straight into our brains, or have it readily available stored across a nation's worth of minds.
The biggest hurdle in the realization of this goal is that we can't lose our individuality. I have no doubt in my mind that a collective consciousness would lead to an overall high intelligence across all the populace, but without individual genius our innovations will be hindered. The theory of relativity wasn't the brain child of a town's worth of people; it was the product of an intellectual outlier who had the individual creativity to produce what is now a foundation of modern science. Like the Borg in Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, we will no longer be able to compile or own new knowledge; we'll be forced to steal it from outside sources. Just like evolution theory states (http://evolution.berkeley.edu/), a species without variation, without individualism is doomed for failure.
Hopefully, like the internet, this network of minds will have an off switch so we can disconnect from time to time. Spend a lonely moment reading a book, or watching a movie. But there's no if, ands or buts about it, this will happen, and it will happen relatively soon. I for one will embrace the change and hopefully so will everyone else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: Evolution and the Internet: Toward A Networked Humanity?
|
|
|
|
this article was a bit of a shock to me when i just stumbled across it...
before I had read anything like this before I had had a dream about a year ago that was essentially me living through this evolutionary process allmost exactly as its explained here. It was as if every year of evolution took about a minute for me to completely understand, and the dream went on for hours. we were able to advance the human brain with both technology and biological means (i.e. more advanced biological brain matter, not just computer implants, but allso genetic engineering of our brain. don't we only use 10% of our brain anyway?)the cool part about this dream was, i could actually understand the complexity of everyones minds working together, as well as every living system on earth. as science advanced our ability to comprehend the information, i was able to think on higher levels within my dream. this system of connected minds could learn anything at an ever increasing rate. weather patterns could be predicted with infinite precision, allmost everything could be learned instantly, and for a few brief moments before I woke up, I knew everything. the entire system of life on earth essentially went from infinate complexity to the ultimate simplicity of 1 supreme being. (which included all life forms and all matter, not just humans) I'm not really a spritual person, but in this dream all the religions of the world became one and the same, and as we all became enlightned we essentially became god. (yet each individual was their own god) If only i had a computer program that could have explained my thoughts in the few brief moments before the dream started to fade. when I first woke up it still all made perfect sense, and I immediatly wanted to write a book about it. But I had to get up and go to work, and the details quickly faded and now I've honestly forgotten most of it. One thing i know was that even though the entire system was 1 connected being, each person still had their individuality and the ability to think independently and have our own private thoughts.
some other wierd coincidences... I hadn't put much thought into this dream since it occured over a year ago, but i happend to bring it up in a conversation to my gf yesterday and then surfed onto this article by accident today. i was bored and did a google search for "ideas" and found this article, which is basically a narration of my dream explained much more clearly then i could ever explain it. I tried and failed to explain it yesterday, and won't bother again today...anyway, i figured I'd post my thoughts...
you might think i'm an idiot in reality, but i'm a genius when i'm sleeping |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
