A One World Mind (Technological Determinism)
I am not a technological determinist. I feel that even though technology is charging ahead faster than ever it is because humans continue to evolve and technology is just keeping pace. While there are many gadgets and gizmos that are not truly necessary the large amount of new techs is created to meet known social needs. Inventors and innovators of our time continue to look at some of the most complex issues that face man kind and are able to address them in new ways that 50 years ago would have seemed like the work of the gods.
One area of R&D that continues to make large leaps forward is addressing a problem that has existed as long as man has walked the Earth. Up until the very late 20th century if you were born or became blind or deft, that was it, there was no hope of changing it. This is no longer the case. Brain-computer interface systems, although still in developmental and experimental stages, are becoming increasingly more powerful and applicable. Advancements in neural signaling research makes it one of the hottest fields in biomedical engineering today.
This is one article in hundreds or even many more. I have been watching this field of study for sometime, and am completely captivated by it. The ability to connect computers directly to the brain for functions such as sight, sounds and motor skills is a fascinating area of development.
This is a clear instance of 'symptomatic technology'. Society is attempting to correct a human defect that will dramatically alter the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions as people are born with or who become handicap.
You can stop reading now if you want, because I am about to dive off of the deep end.
This is a clear instance of 'symptomatic technology'. Society is attempting to correct a human defect that will dramatically alter the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions as people are born with or who become handicap.
You can stop reading now if you want, because I am about to dive off of the deep end.
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However I cant stop imagining a computer that does much more. Think for instance that a computer hard drive was able to get hooked up directly (keeping it simple) to the association area of the cerebral cortex? This hard drive could store memories that do not fade, languages that are spoken fluently and with ease and much more.
Now taking it a crazy step further. In the design of hard drives you are able to download and delete information at will. With wireless technology you can send and receive information instantly. The combination of the wireless technology along with hard drives connected to your brain is an insane thought to me. The potential however, is infinite. You could instantly download a language to communicate with other humans in any place in the world. Learn to fly a plane, or perform complicated surgery.
Now take it an even insaner leap forward. If we can connect computers to help the deaf hear and the blind see, there is nothing stopping us (theoretically of course) from being able to broadcast someone who CAN see, actual live sight, and their actual live sound, directly to another person across the world for viewing; possibly in their own brain.
Even though telepathy is deemed impossible now, with a hundred years and some huge technological advancements I think ware are but a puddles jump away. And when it happens, will it be considered to be created because technology is leading us? I think not. It will be another nail in the coffin for technological determinism. It will be another shining example of the human race, stepping up and meeting known social needs through symptomatic technology.