Cyborg is a term coined to describe organisms who are part-human and part-machines. The last few years have seen the concept of Cyborgs come out of science fiction and into reality as a new generation of artificial arms, ears and even eyes are developed in research labs. These revolutionary devices integrate directly with the nerve system and the brain and allow blind people to see, amputees to enjoy the freedom of movement and deaf children to hear.
Moreover, researchers have managed to create remote controlled insects, cyborg monkeys, robots that are controlled by a mixture of computer chips and rat neurons and they have even managed to record and transfer memories between mice. This is just the beginning as we are witnessing the dawn of the cyborg era.
In this presentation I discuss some of the philosophical aspects of this new era and declare that the age-old Dualism is essentially dead.
Presentation Slides
Presentation Video
Event Photos
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Thanks and credit
This was my second lecture for this great group. I would like to thank first and foremost Jes Gisbert who is the orginaser and founder of ‘The Philosophers Corner‘ as well as Lee, Carolyn and Ric who provided amazing assistance. I’d also like to thank Stephen and Ariel Bookshop who provided a fantastic location. Last but not least I’d like to thank all those who came to hear the lecture. It was an honour to meet such a group of intellectuals!
I have recently created and presented this presentation for a wonderful group of people called ‘The Philosophers Corner”. This lecture is focused on the philosophical aspects of cyberspace and tries to warn from some of the dangers while emphasising the benefits of cyberspace.
The term ‘Cyberspace’ encapsulates fascinating technologies such as 3D displays, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality as well as simply surfing the web. Therefore Cyberspace is a relevant concept to almost everyone even today.
• Why are we attracted to Cyberspace?
• The moral issues and aspects faced in Cyberspace
• Hierarchies of realities and Platos’ concept of ‘Ideas’
• Rene’ Descartes and scepticism – Can we differentiate between realities?
• Are we faced with the worst drugs ever known to mankind?
You can find some more details and pictures from the event here.
Presentation video
Presentation slides:
Finally, here are some photos from the event. It was great to meet so many people who were interested in philosophy and technology. I particularly loved the variety – people from various backgrounds, origins and age groups. It was fantastic!
Photos from the event
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Thanks and credit
I would like to thank first and foremost Jes Gisbert who is the orginaser and founder of ‘The Philosophers Corner‘ as well as Lee, Carolyn and Ric who provided amazing assistance. I’d also like to thank Stephen and Ariel Bookshop who provided a fantastic location as well as great wine and nibbles. Last but not least I’d like to thank all those who came to hear the lecture. It was an honour to meet such a group of intellectuals!
I’ve recently organised a TED-style event which was called ‘Kshurim Bareshet‘. The event included 5 lectures about science and technology. The event proved to be quite popular and about 250 participants filled the convention centre. I really enjoyed it. The other lectures were great and the audience was amazing!
This is the presentation I have done in the event. It is called ‘The Dawn of the Cyborgs’. Connecting machines to the human bodies and brains is an amazing science which has provided some unbelievable inventions. In the near future these technologies might have a significant effect on many of us. In this presentation I explore these new technologies and the effect that they might have on humanity.
The Dawn of the Cyborgs – Presentation Transcript
1. The Dawn of the Cyborgs “We Know What We Are, But We Don’t Know What We Can Become” (William Shakespeare)
2. Artificial Biology Genetics Engineering Biological Brain Biology Interaction Interaction
3. Biological Interaction
4. Bionic Arm (2005)
5. Bionic Arm (2008)
6. Bionic Arm (2010)
7. Bionic Eyes (2005)
8. Bionic Eyes (2008)
9. Interacting with the Brain
10. EEG Based Interface (Emotive)
11. Interacting with the Brain • Cyborg insects • Monkeys control robotic hands using neurons • Robots with rat brains • Recording mice memory to computer chips • Brain Implants to treat Parkinson disease • Reconstructing visual images from the brain 2002
12. The Blue Brain Project • Computer simulation of the brain • 10,000 parallel processors = 1 Millionth of the brain • Complete set of software tools • In 5 years – a complete mouse brain • In 20 years (?) – a complete human brain
13. Cyborgs • Cyborg = Cybernetic Organism • Coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan Kline • Combining man and machine • Where do we end and technology begins? Cyborg (Star Trek)
14. Where Is The Border? Ray Kurzweil Marshall Mcluhan
15. What Does The Future Hold? • Human Cyborgs • Real VR • Extended brain capabilities • Instant learning • Dream manipulation • Telepathy • Artificial Intelligence • Virtual Existence Cyborg (Star Trek) www.AmnonCarmel.com
16. Questions? “If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith” (Albert Einstein)
I’ve uploaded a new presentation that highlights the new and amazing field of BMI (Brain-Machine Interface). This is the stuff Science Fiction is made of – Real Cyborgs and they are living among us already.
Brain-Machine Interface is one of the most interesting and important scientific field of research. There has been tremendous progress over the last 5-7 years and some of these technologies are already available in the market. In this lecture I discuss some of the interesting aspects of this new technology.
Connecting Machines To Human Brains – Presentation Transcript
1. Welcome to the Future Amnon Carmel
2. Brain Machine Interface (BMI) “We Know What We Are, But We Don’t Know What We Can Become” (William Shakespeare)
3. Understanding Humanity • Genetics Human Genome Project Completed in 2005 Stem cells research • Engineering biology Cells, Tissue Organs Advanced mechanics • Interacting with the brain Amazing progress over the last 5-7 years The next big challenge…
4. The Matrix www.AmnonCarmel.com Terminator
5. In The Research Labs • Remote controlled cockroaches • Monkeys control robotic hands using neurons • Robots with rat brains • Cyborg insects • Recording mice memory to computer chips • Reconstructing visual images from the brain 2002 www.AmnonCarmel.com
6. Jesse Sullivan
7. 2 Years Later…
8. Bionic Eyes
9. Brain-Computer Interface
10. The Blue Brain Project • Computer simulation of the brain • About 10,000 parallel processors = 1 Millionth of the brain • Complete set of software tools • In 5 years – a complete mouse brain • In 20 years (?) – a complete human brain
11. What Does The Future Hold? • Human Cyborgs • Real VR • Extended brain capabilities • Instant learning • Dream manipulation • Telepathy • Artificial Intelligence • Virtual Existence Cyborg (Star Trek) www.AmnonCarmel.com
12. Questions? “If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith” (Albert Einstein)
A few days ago I sat around a coffee table with a group of people who are interested in science and philosophy. The event was called ‘What Science Knows’ and it was part of a group called ‘Socrates Cafe’. We were discussing science, global warming, politics religion and many other topics.
When we got to talk about religion, I mentioned the fact that I am an Atheist. I believe that I wasn’t the only one around the table that was an Atheist, but sadly most Atheists are still ‘in the closet’ and are concerned about the stigma that Atheists have and the negative public opinions.
One way or the other, the guy next to me heard that I am an Atheist and had started to raise questions and comments about my supposedly strange state of thought.He claimed that I am missing out on the amazing beauty of the world which, he claimed, was based on a religious point of view. According to his view, a world without God can only be dull and boring.
However I think it is exactly the opposite: Our world is awesome and amazing and giving credit to an imaginable creature which supposedly created all this in 6 days seems to me like a distorted concept which takes away a lot of the beauty of this amazing world of ours. In my eyes if you believe God actually exists and has really created the world, the world necessarily looses a lot of it’s glare and magic. Consider evolution, Cosmology, Geology, Biology, Genetics, Physics and Chemistry – once you learn how the world REALLY works, than the full scale of amazement really comes into play. This is a truly amazing world and we have the ability to understand it. Why settle for cheap imitations when you can have the real deal?
When you consider geology, history, biology, chemistry and other natural forces you simply get more bang for your buck. This of course isn’t a good reason to believe or not believe in any higher power, just a comment for all you religious people who believe that they own the right to admire the world.
* I have taken the picture above in Shelly Beach (Manly, Sydney) during yet another amazing sunset.
I’ve first written about Augmented Reality more than 7 years ago (See Google translation version) and through the years I have seen this technology grow and mature. We are still at a very early stage, but Augmented Reality has already stepped out of the research institutes and into our lives (at least for some of us).
The video below demonstrates how well this technology works today and also provide hints for the future to come.
In the video you can see a sort of video game which is quite unique in style and more than anything reminds me of the super-advanced version of the Tamagotchi. It uses the Sony Playstation3 EyeToy which is essentially an advanced webcam which sits next to the television and allows players to interact with it as you can see in the following video.
Want to try Augmented Reality for yourself? Try this link. It actually works!
I have recently created and presented this presentation for a wonderful group of people called ‘The Philosophers Corner”. This lecture is focused on the philosophical aspects of cyberspace and tries to warn from some of the dangers while emphasising the benefits of cyberspace.
The term ‘Cyberspace’ encapsulates fascinating technologies such as 3D displays,
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality as well as simply surfing
the web. Therefore Cyberspace is a relevant concept to almost everyone even today.
• Why are we attracted to Cyberspace?
• The moral issues and aspects faced in Cyberspace
• Hierarchies of realities and Platos’ concept of ‘Ideas’
• Rene’ Descartes and scepticism – Can we differentiate between realities?
• Are we faced with the worst drugs ever known to mankind?
Philosophy Of Cyberspace – Presentation Transcript
Philosophy of the Future Amnon Carmel
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Future “I never think of the future, it comes soon enough.“ (Albert Einstein)
Why Philosophy? • Humans are mentally identical for the last 200,000 years • We have been questioning our world ever since • Plato lived 2,400 years ago, Descartes lived 400 years ago. We are still dealing with similar issues today • We truly are standing on the shoulders of giants
Why Future Technologies? • Amazing technologies are emerging, but are still at early stages • Technology advances exponentially (The law of accelerating returns) • Technology is advancing much faster than culture, morals and ethics • We should think and plan ahead • Robots, Genetics, Nanotechnology, Life extension, VR, BMI, AI, and more… • Tonight I will discuss the Philosophy of Cyberspace
Cyberspace Technologies “This is just the beginning, the beginning of understanding that cyberspace has no limits, no boundaries.” (Nicholas Negroponte)
What Is Cyberspace? • Cyberspace = Space & Cybernetics • Coined by William Gibson in his book „Burning Chrome‟ (1982) • Refers to „Real‟ Virtual Reality (VR) • Relates to all virtual environments • Cyberspace is in its early stages • Real VR will change everything…
Cyberspace Technologies
Cyberspace Technologies
The Philosophy Of Cyberspace “The further backward you look. The further forward you can see” (Winston Churchill)
Cyberspace as Ultimate Drug • Addiction • Creativity • (False) sense of Freedom • Alternative reality • Disconnection between mind and body • False interpretation of the senses
What Draws us to Cyberspace? • Aesthetic attraction • Home for our souls • Social interaction • Thirst for knowledge (Erotic attraction to Eros) • We long for escapism – Escape reality • Escape from our physical prison • Escapism is common in many cultures • Cyberspace will be the ultimate drug
A Higher Realm Of Reality? “The surrogate life in cyberspace makes flesh feel like a prison, a fall from grace, a descent into a dark confusing reality. From the pit of life in the body, the virtual life looks like the virtuous life.” (Michael Heim)
Plato And The „ Ideas ‟ • Plato claims that there is a higher realm of reality • In this reality all „true‟ forms (Ideas) appear • Our reality is a dull shadow of the Ideas • We cannot relay on our senses, only on Plato logic, math and ideas 348–347 BC
Allegory of the Cave • Thought Experiment Written by Plato in „The Republic‟ (380 BCE) • Imagine a group of prisoners in a cave • Captors display shadows on a wall • Prisoners believe that this is the reality • One of them escapes and experience the „real world‟ • He tries to free his friends but they don‟t believe him and reject freedom • Moral: We must not rely on our senses There is a hierarchy of realities We might be blind in the face of the ‘real’ reality
Hierarchy of Realities • Similar to Plato„s “Ideas”, Cyberspace can be seen as a different form of reality • Cyberspace creates an illusion for the senses and the mind (a.k.a. Virtual Reality) • Cyberspace is viewed by most people as a lower form of reality • Yet Cyberspace can be seen as a higher level of mental reality – Hyperreality • Mental freedom is key to understand the attraction to cyberspace • Our world fails to compete with cyberspace
Preferred Reality • Being in Paris is better than watching a documentary • But what about a 3D IMAX movie? / Virtual Reality? / „Real VR‟? • Where is the border line between preferred realities?
Post-Avatar Depression “When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed … gray. It was like my whole life, everything I’ve done and worked for, lost its meaning,” “It just seems so … meaningless. I still don’t really see any reason to keep … doing things at all. I live in a dying world.” (User named „Eltu‟ in the “Avatar” forum page)
Rene Descartes Scepticism • Tried to set a base for science • The apple basket allegory • Takes Scepticism to the extreme • One cannot rely on our senses • We can rely only on the Cogito (not even on math!) • “Cogito Ergo Sum” René Descartes 1596 – 1650
The Cogito In Cyberspace • Cyberspace provides a home for our Cogito • Our Cogito is free to roam in cyberspace • Our senses are fooled by a digital illusionist demon • All knowledge is in doubt including physics and mathematics
Is Cyberspace Our Salvation?
Is Cyberspace Our Demise?
Is Cyberspace Moral? “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied… And if the… pig, (is) of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question.” [John Stuart Mill] John Stuart Mill
Summary • Cyberspace provides gradual progression towards „Real VR‟ • Cyberspace could be seen as a higher realm of reality for the mind • Cyberspace provides amazing benefits yet also holds horrific dangers • We need to prepare ourselves for the coming technologies in order to have a better tomorrow • “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” (Native American Proverb)
Futurist and IT Specialist. MA in Philosophy of Information and the Digital World, BA in Business and IT.
Researching the connection between future technologies and humanism for over a decade. Learning and teaching as much as possible about people, technology, history, science, cultures and focusing on futurism. I am fascinated by the influence of science and technology on our lives in the past, present and future.
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