There is a widely held conception that progress in science and
technology is our salvation, and the more of it, the better. This,
however, is an oversimplified and even dangerous attitude. While
the future will certainly offer huge changes due to such progress,
it is far from certain that all of these changes will be for the
better. The unprecedented rate of technological development that
the 20th century witnessed has made our lives today vastly
different from those in 1900. No slowdown is in sight, and the 21st
century will most likely see even more revolutionary changes than
the 20th, due to advances in science, technology and medicine.
Particular areas where extraordinary and perhaps disruptive
advances can be expected include biotechnology, nanotechnology, and
machine intelligence. We may also look forward various ways to
enhance human cognitive and other abilities using, e.g.,
pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering or machine-brain interfaces -
perhaps to the extent of changing human nature beyond what we
currently think of as human, and into a posthuman era. The
potential benefits of all these technologies are enormous, but so
are the risks, including the possibility of human extinction. This
book is a passionate plea for doing our best to map the territories
ahead of us, and for acting with foresight, so as to maximize our
chances of reaping the benefits of the new technologies while
avoiding the dangers.
General
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