latest change in the social status of knowledge
man wielding ever more powerful high-tech industries based on knowledge about the fundamental fundamental principle of living and inanimate matter, is capable of turning inanimate, living and social matter, the object of scientific and technological practice. Carrying out over It nanoinzheneriynye, molecular biology, nanogenomnye, information and computer manipulation, he turns himself in nano-bio-info-socio-engineer , who does not feel reverence for existence of animate and inanimate matter. For such engineer human existence (as well as being of any other biological species) - it's just "stuff" to be technological change.
transformation as a human being into an object technology manipulation - a landmark event scale. Generating enormous in its scope and tragedy of the existential and ideological upheavals, it is event marks the end of the era of the natural "drift" of the global evolution of Homo sapiens'a. After it begins the era in which scientific and technological Activity of a man, a speeding race in high-tech industry and the periodic change of the ethical-ontological relation of man to his own Being in the world are powerful factors in accelerating anthropogenic global evolution.
latest flurry of scientific and technological revolutions, integrating in an indissoluble symbiosis of basic science, technology, education, and generates all the more powerful high-tech industry. Globalizing Practice man cares about his own existence in the world, carried out with such high-tech industry, provides him with an unprecedented opportunity for scientific and technological creativity on the level of atomic structures, ie at the level of basic fundamental principles of living and nonliving matter. With this arose grandioznyemegaproekty so, as mentioned above, "Genome", "Human Genome", "Nanotech, Biotech," "mega-project of artificial superintelligence" et al
most important breakthrough in the practice of implementing this kind of mega-projects - is a quantum engineering, ie practice of atomic and molecular assembly vsevozmozhnyhnanofabrik for the production of synthetic material with pre-specified properties. One of the creators of quantum engineering - Nobel winner Jaures Alferov - introduced to the academic community is very bold opposition metaphors:
«matter created by God" - "matter, the creation of man."
Metaphor "matter created by God, as you might guess, this means all types of substances that have arisen in the course of natural global physical-space evolution of our universe. The second metaphor is indicated opposition covers all the different types of surrogate mothers that have arisen due to quantum engineering.
itself in opposition Alferov metaphorical form expresses the conviction of the initiators of quantum engineering is that the global physical-space evolution is far from exhausted all possibilities of creating all possible types of matter. Quantum and biomolecular engineering allow a person to significantly enrich the family of natural types of matter various types of surrogate mothers, ie such types, which are constructed with advances nanophysics, nanochemistry, nanobiology.
clear that the word "matter" is used here not as a metaphysical category, as well as fundamental concept of science. Here it means "the material from which all living and nonliving material structures. After the appearance of Nanotechnology, producing "programmable matter", this word came to signify not only a "matter created by God", but "the matter, constructed person "from which Nanoengineering today are creating nano-components required to build the computers of molecular dimensions.
Despite its insignificant dimensions, such nanocomputers will possess not only a huge memory, but also a huge performance (superior performance current Pentium). They are able to take control of molecular robots-pickers, carrying poatomnuyu assembly of any substance required humanity. Moreover, nanocomputers (and artificial intelligence technology) the future will be quite able to manage entire nanofactories consisting from a large ensemble of such robot builders. Planetary system similar nanofactories performing atomic-molecular assembly of the substances necessary humanity (ie, food, medicines, construction materials, etc.) can completely replace the current industry, based on traditional technologies. And once that happens, the practice of using core technologies of the XXI century will radically change not only individual spheres of human activity, but also the conditions of planetary existence of mankind, its global exchange of energy, matter and information with the outside world, information and media environment of its habitat, a planetary communicative praxis.
reviewing this flurry of fundamental changes in the global the evolution of Homo sapiens'a, easy to understand why social analysts of our time to evaluate it as a nano-technology revolution that enriches humanity products such as:
- drugs and hormones for agriculture and medicine that are based on the use of genetics.
- nano-medical technologies that are different from biology - nuclear resonance imaging, echocardiography, etc.
- optoelectronic devices, using light (such as optical scanners, optical discs, solar cells, photosensitive semiconductors, and laser printers).
- Computers instant communication and telecommunications.
- Integrated circuits, computer superchipy, multi-layer printed circuit boards, etc.
Thanks to scientific and technological Revolution, a person acquires the ability to program not just a computer or, say, a living creature, but also a surrogate mother. After the revolution the reproduction of mankind in the world will go on a totally different evolutionary path. Progressively converting nano into the world of "programmable matter ", which will operate under the direction and control of man, the creator and user of nanotechnology will become possible in their discretion to interrupt the natural history and evolution of Homo sapiens'a put this huge process in a rigid dependence on the pace and scope of the race in intensive technologies. Because of this global evolution of Homo sapiens'a cease to form a natural "gravity". Creators and users transchelovecheskih Technology does not have to wait millions of years until the global evolution of Homo sapiens'a natural "gravity" will create new types of inanimate matter, new genomes new types of transgenic creatures, better forms of human life. Such forms of living matter nano-bio-info-socio-technological will design at its discretion.
But the more powerful technology becomes singular, the more the practice becomes riskogennoy technological transformation animate and inanimate matter, man. The practice of such transformations is dangerous even in those cases where such transformations are carried out with to care about the human being. All this means that as the megasotsiuma to the state of the singularity problem of the ethical-ontological relations rights to its own existence takes on new meaning.
«Taking care of yourself": Far and near the singularity.
As the planetary society to a state of singularity caring person about the impending fate of his own existence in the world takes many forms. As an ethical-ontological the relationship of man to his own being, this "caring for yourself" can be shown as:
- concern rights impending fate of his Genome embodiment, the neuro-system, intelligence,
- as policy genetic, anthropological, ethical self-identity rights,
- as practice Freedom rights, improving their ontological status in the world with increasingly powerful technologies of the new century.
Despite the fact that practice of freedom, carried out by the distance from the singularity by using traditional techniques, has sometimes led to negative changes in the global material and spatial environment of the human habitat, it has not been evaluated here as the dominant source of existential threats, risks, threats. Ethical-ontological comprehension practice of freedom changed dramatically only after she began to be carried by the industry of such powerful technologies, such as chemical, nuclear, and especially - nanoinzheneriynye, molecular biological, genomic, nanomedical, computer-networking, technology, neuro-chips virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
main reasons behind some of the intellectuals of the XXI century to change the previous strategy concerns about the human being, it is easy to understand. The fact that after the old strategy of taking care of a man appeared in modern times, was carried out with the help of science of the twentieth century, it evolved into a source of uncontrolled flow of increasingly large-scale threats to human existence on the planet. Indeed, the progress of chemistry led to a global poison soil, atmosphere and oceans. The development of atomic energy has led to the nuclear contamination of habitat rights. (Threat geochernobylya ). Biomolecular Revolution creates a threat of pollution of the biosphere various types of transgenic living things. Explosively development of computer science, cognitive science, information science and technology industry planetary computer-media networks has created a threat Information totalitarianism.
All these threats are long-term consequences of the old strategy of man cares about his being in the world. And it is desire to perpetuate the old strategy of taking care of the person induces the apologists of this strategy be considered the main culprit of the growing shaft of existential concerns, fears and anxieties are not bankrupt strategy of care, and scientific and technological progress.
realization that the reason for the growing shaft of global hazards, disaster risk lies not in the STP, and the evils of the old strategy of man cares about his existence, prompting among postmodernist thinking intellectuals to replace the old strategy of taking care of yourself a new strategy, more than meets the challenges of the XXI century. It was in this environment, there were allegations that the philosopher who knows nothing about modern nanophysics, nanochemistry, nanobiology, nanomedicine, nanoelectronics, hardly able to say anything significant with respect to pressing ethical problems, even if he had mastered the whole ethical tradition from Plato to Scheler. Such a statement for example, made by Vittorio Heasley (13).
Towards Anthropology postcheloveka.
word "anthropic", as is known, represents an evolving being man in its totality. From all other types of existence (being minerals, viruses, bacteria, plants, animals) anthropic differs by at least three features:
- First, the ability samoosoznavat themselves, represent themselves in different languages, to create a self-generated, samoprezentativy.
- Second, the ability privilegizirovat himself in the family of all possible types of life. In other words, the ability to carry out certain policies identity.
- Third, the ability to take care of his impending fate, to anticipate and change the fate of this discretion.
mastering the increasingly powerful nanoinzheneriynymi, molecular biological, nanomedical technologies, computer technologies of neuro-chips and artificial intelligence, transforming them from using their own genome, its physicality, its neuro-system, your intellect, a man radically alter its ethical-ontological relation to being anthropic . Under increasing pressure from the use of such technology being anthropic ceases to evolve, "gravity" and becomes a matter of care, the subject of cultivation . Such care of yourself carries the creator and user increasingly powerful high-tech industry.
Before nano-techno-science people just "cracked" the natural material (animate and inanimate). Now he is using increasingly powerful nano-physical-chemical-bio-info-engineering designs new reality, which includes:
- artificial atoms and objects with preassigned atomic structure;
- different types of programmable matter;
- variety of nanomaterials;
- space genetically modified organisms and cloned animals;
- carriers of artificial intelligence;
- translyudey with implanted neuro-chips;
- Fabric of the planetary computer-media networks, etc.
These new types of human reality are beginning to play an increasingly important role in shaping the environment human habitation. Increasingly, they are called inorganic continuation of human corporeality . The very same continued human physicality (ie original "Prosthesis" corporeality) appears not as a mere intermediary in communication between man and nature, as well as the active medium, which changes the ontological status of a person in the world, its genome, its unconscious, neyrosistemu, a system of behavioral reactions, etc. The term «postchelovek» indicates this is the new modus human existence in the new reality.
«Postchelovek» ;, thus, - is the creator and the user is more powerful nanotechnology with which he performs care of his being in the world .
In recent discussions on the strategy of care for the human being undertaken postchelovekom, at full length the question arose: Does the practice of his care , only those abilities Homo sapiens'a, which are designated by the word "sapiens" (ie, intellectual ability), or it puts a profound transformation and those of its quality, which are nominated by the word «homo» (ie, its genome, physiology, injury, neuro-system etc.)?
If it only changes sapiens -ability, then the person does not cease to exist in the world as a «homo», which is progressively transformed into a carrier increasing development of artificial superintelligence. In this case, speculation about what else «post-homo» become pointless.
However, if the new Practice care, carried out with the more powerful pomoschyuvse nanoinzheneriynyh, molecular biology, nanogenomnyh, nanomedical technology neuro-chip technology, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, exposing a fundamental transformation of those qualities of the person who nominated word «homo» (ie, its genome, physiology, neuro-system, physicality, etc.), then the practice of care will inevitably turn into a man "postcheloveka. For By definition, «postchelovek» - this is the phase of the global evolution of Homo sapiens'a, which this evolution pushes the practice of the use of increasingly powerful singular technologies.
Socio-philosophical discourse on the inevitability of this kind of transfiguration of the anthropic (ie, a fundamental change in its ontological Identity), today forms the core of heated debate on Anthropology postcheloveka .
most pressing question of the long-term consequences process of transfiguration of the fundamental first principles of the anthropic being discussed within the framework of philosophical and ideological discourse of self-overcoming rights. The central idea of this centuries-long discourse, most clearly formulated NA Berdyaev. In his work on slavery and human freedom, he said: "Man is the creature itself overcoming" (14).
main reason for the current update of this discourse is that care about the future fate Rights, which carries the creator and user of basic technologies of the XXI century is fundamentally different from that care , who exercise, for example, a person Middle Ages. The most consistent new strategy care about being human is represented in the movement of "transhumanism" (15-17). The initiators of this movement rejected the chief metaphysical prejudice, which is characteristic for the adherents of the ethical tradition from Plato to Scheler. Anthropic, in their understanding is not absolute ontological constant (created by God, nature, or even any of the Absolute). Anthropic - is the greatest work Art of the man himself. That's why the most important task of care of a man transhumanists consider human rights at its own discretion improve is the greatest work of art. Ethical-ontological imperative transhumanism reads: not preserve existence of anthropic in the fullness of all its current limitations, pathology and impairment, but it is being improved, using the power of technology of the XXI century.
improve the same ontological position of the anthropic in the world - means to expose him as the transformations that enhance the capabilities of individuals consciously change its genome, its body, its neuro-system, their lives in accordance with their informed desires. Word «deliberately» here means: users intensive technologies should be understood as deeply as possible between what options the life of the world they choose. This understanding help factors such as:
- molecular nanotechnology,
- genetic engineering,
- nanomedicine,
- Artificial Intelligence,
- drugs for mood changes,
- anti-aging therapies,
- neyrointerfeys,
- program to manage information interactions,
- drugs to improve memory,
- implantable superchipy,
- cognitive technology.
Of course, today the process of transforming them into a posthuman very far from being final. Therefore, the current predictions about its long-term evolution in many ways still looks like a philosophical speculation.
Debate on the moral justification in no way limited to use all of the above means to overcome human nature, thus, split the community of humanists XXI century into two camps - humanist and transhumanist. former demand categorically block the action of the factors listed above, a taboo on any kind was the invasion of the fundamental foundation of human nature.
In contrast, transhumanists believe that a free person has every right to intervene in nature. In their view, there should be no moral or ethical taboo, prohibiting the individual's sole discretion, to change its nature. They see nothing reprehensible in any desired personality to live as long as possible, either in its natural desire to do, learn and experience more than it is now possible for ordinary human life. Personality in understanding transhumanist , has the right to grow up and grow much longer than the pitiful eighty years, which released its evolutionary past.
do not claim to exhaustively complete and absolutely reliable knowledge about what means to be postchelovekom, transhumanists warn us that things, actions, aspirations posthumans may be our current understanding of as inaccessible as the primates - the understanding of the complexity of our human life. That is why, they say, many of us today is extremely difficult understand the actions of volunteers, are implanted in your body all kinds of neuro-computer chips, or those who refuse his own body and ready live as information patterns in the giant super-fast computer networks.
But no matter how true to transhumanist positions, today it is impossible reliably predict the final escalating dispute over the strategy of self-overcoming of man. Clearly only one thing: the practice of using technology of the third millennium - Is a gigantic and extremely risky experiment on humanity in its totality. Being born before our eyes anthropology postcheloveka - it is absolutely grounded theory, but rather to find ways to practice the new philosophy, able to overcome the shortcomings and limitations of practical Philosophy of Art Nouveau era.
Author: Valentin Lukyanets, Ph.D., Professor, Head. Dep. Institute of Philosophy of NAS of Ukraine.
Taken from: 2084.ru
