Cover image for The path to singularity : how technology will challenge the future of humanity
Title:
The path to singularity : how technology will challenge the future of humanity
Publication Date:
2024
Publication Information:
Essex, CT : Prometheus, [2024]
Physical Description:
xvi, 368 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
ISBN:
9781493085439
Abstract:
Astrophysicist J. Craig Wheeler, former president of the American Astronomical Society, takes a critical look at the technological advances shaping our future. From artificial intelligence to genetic engineering, Wheeler explores how these innovations are interconnected and the potential they hold for humanity's evolution. He warns of a future where autonomous machines outsmart us and genetic modifications challenge our very essence. With thought-provoking insights into the ethical dilemmas we face, Wheeler stresses the importance of staying informed and proactive. Key Questions Raised by Wheeler: Will there be jobs for those willing to work in a future dominated by automation? How might social media companies manipulate our decisions, potentially stripping us of free will? Could AI influence or even dictate our voting behaviors? If widespread mental connectivity becomes a reality, could we see the emergence of a collective consciousness that erases individuality? Have we exhausted Earth's resources, and is population control necessary? What implications arise if we solve aging? How will society adapt to the challenges of perpetual youth? What are the realistic prospects of migrating to space as Earth becomes increasingly inhospitable? Our decisions today will determine if we control technology or if it controls us. Through an engaging narrative, Wheeler not only outlines the challenges but also offers practical advice on how we can retain control over our technological destiny.
Contents:
Surviving an era of astonishingly rapid technological change -- Exponential and super-exponential growth : the path to the singularity -- Intelligence : what's artificial about it? -- Robots : how many laws will it take? -- Autonomous vehicles : who sues whom? -- Smart weapons : to ban or not to ban? -- Mapping the brain : mind reading, telekinesis, telepathy, and the shared mind -- Conscious computers : Turing's challenge -- Evolution : how we got here -- Genetics : designining ourselves -- Anthropocene : the age of humans -- Economics : how does capitalism work in a hyper-automated world? -- Democracy : who votes in an age of artificial intelligence? -- Space : the difficult frontier -- The future : ready or not.
Language:
English
Holds: