Transhumanist and We?

Top 10. A common sight found of various sites. Top 10 future gadgets, Top 10 Innovations and Future Tech. With many future scenarios focusing towards technology and the possibilities of a technological driven world, how much of human interaction will be affected by technology? Even now with social media and smartphones, our lives have been effectively influenced by technology. As technology develops, so do ideas. As human interactions have changed due to the overwhelming integration of technology, we have become mass consumers and mass producers of data. From the moment we wake up to the moment we fall back asleep, our engagement with technology is throughout.

New innovations are changing, from interaction to becoming a part. Technicism is described in which technology would become the main contributor to the changes in society. Not only that but the future of Trans-Human technology is becoming prominent, with many breakthroughs in science, “You are now living in an era of trans-human technology — an era some call an evolutionary renaissance. And you are what we call a cyborg: part human, part machine.” (C.Phillips 2014). Are we slowly changing human interaction with technologies to incorporating technology within human form?

Joel Kinnaman stars in Columbia Pictures’ “Robocop.”

In the 2014 remake of Robocop directed by José Padilha shows a future possibility with the creation of Cyborg. The film shows a critically injured man being selected to be part of a governmental experiment in creating robot soldiers. Although seemingly unrealistic, the scenario may be possible. The Robocop has software implanted that allows his brain to process information as accurately as a computer. Does the idea of half man and half robot showcase possibilities of humans in the future and effect human interaction? Maybe.

This goes back to our present day, with many of us using technology, our interactions goes further than human interaction. It works towards how the Internet has become our form of interaction with one another. Video viewing, commenting, liking, are just some aspects of interaction within the Internet. Its vast sources have enables humans to gain knowledge of ongoing situations from around the world. It also creates a virtual reality within our lives through social media. Technology has set a part human interaction, with connecting and communicating creating a gap between, “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual worlds, this leaves little time for our real-world relationships.” (L.Rosen, 2015)

The advancement of technology is only going to be exponential, in both human interaction and human integration. Although thoughts of human’s already becoming robot like due to our connection to technology rather than human integration, are we going to become like a robot? Future possibilities are there with the cyborg but it may just be an alternative in making us more human.

Reference

Blackford, R. (2015). ‘A Transhuman Future’. Online, Philosophersmag.com. Viewed on 24 Oct. http://www.philosophersmag.com/index.php/tpm-mag-articles/11-essays/25-a-transhuman-future

Phillips, C. (2015). ‘Building a Better You? The Era of Trans-Human Technology’ (Op-Ed). Online,Viewed on 25 Oct. http://www.livescience.com/45872-transhuman-technology.html

Chow, D. (2015). ‘‘RoboCop’: When Will Cyborgs Walk Among Humans?’. Online,Viewed on 25 Oct. http://www.livescience.com/43287-robocop-cyborgs-robots-future.html

Geggel, L. (2015). ‘Human Cyborgs Come to Life in Nat Geo’s ‘Breakthrough”. Online. Viewed on 26 Oct. 2015.http://www.livescience.com/52419-human-cyborgs-national-geographic-breakthrough.html

Rosen, L. (2015).’ Is Technology Making People Less Sociable?’. Online, WSJ. Viewed on 26 Oct. http://www.wsj.com/articles/is-technology-making-people-less-sociable-1431093491#livefyre-comment