Perhaps unconsciously, Allen is asserting the primacy of human intelligence in our known universe – a cognitive barrier beyond which nothing can pass – because evolution made it… or something. Paul, an AI doesn’t have to be smart LIKE us, just as smart AS us. Namsayen?
Through the Sci-Fi Nomenclature Committee approved processes of a brain interface known as “ECoG,” the science guys have shown that, even after 7 years without any actual movement, the brain is still sending signals for the body to do so. And these signals can move a robot.
That kinda looks like the Death Star in an eyeball. Here’s a very nice gallery of transhumanist art (PART II). It’s cool. Go look at it. One day we’ll become it. Which is going to be awesome – because my knees are like totally shot. [VIA SINGULARITY HUB]
In the context of our perception of linear time, the march toward radically upgrading the human experience is not a “switch-on” process, it’s not sudden, it’s not merely a download away. It’s an ongoing-for-quite-a-while-now, subtle, and steadily accelerating merger.
This is that important moment in the genesis of a technology. That which we’ll one day look back and somewhat condescendingly comment: A: ”Remember when the Dream Movies™ were just vague blobs?” B: ”Shhhhh, stop talking during Bob’s flying sequence!”
Let’s say you are in some serious trouble. You need some heavy altruistic help of a very selfless nature. Who would you want to decide your fate? The “purer” Bronze Age human from 5000 years ago? Or the hyper-augmented cyborg from 2061?
Can a computer be intelligent like a human? We already accept the existence of other animal intelligences, as long as they’re not as intelligent as us. That is a heartbreaking notion of staggeringly arrogant species-level narcissism.