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A New Opportunity to Teach and Succeed

Jack Harney

Page 4 of 5

It is admirably clear that for Dr. Rothblatt all the ethical issues that may be in play as part of the emergence of Transhumanism must be adequately dealt with. She suggests that the method employed be a geo-ethical algorithm applied as part of Bushido, an unwritten code of ethics that guided Japan’s samurai up until the 20th century.[1] She envisions it as a Macro-Bushido that would have relevant applications in an Info-Cultural Age. Her paper on this subject is both brilliant and uplifting. It speaks to the development of a code that most any enlightened person would find both simple and comprehensive. There is a strong inference that since she refers to the coming Singularity and Transhumanism as part of a Trans-religion, this code could or would replace other moral codes.

Whether the accepted moral code of the future be Dr. Rothblatt’s Macro-Bushido or another moral compass will ultimately be decided by the Humans and Transhumans making those decisions at the time. However, it seems to me that for the mass of society to even consider such a major change in their belief systems, it will have to take place over the entire period leading to and the final arrival of the Singularity. Critical to that is Humans actually experiencing the advancements of the new technologies within their own daily existence in order to feel empowered to do that. With each new step toward greater intelligence and insight they will be more likely to shed their previously entrenched dogmatic based beliefs of unworthiness as they discover the realization of their own new powers. However, the major obstacle to these possible awakenings will be the walls set up by fear based religious and political institutions that may literally outlaw the implementation of the technologies that would allow Humans to actually experience this new empowerment …shutting the door of introduction to any new moral codes. This could change the description of the Singularity from being near to a multi-generation or worse a multi-century future event. The history of major scientific advancements that challenge long held beliefs being extremely slow to evolve due to religious meddling could indeed repeat itself.

The Opportunities

Dr. Rothblatt’s geo-ethical algorithm states that any action (future advancement) should be implemented “so that those least well-off among the affected class will benefit the most…” In terms of who that might be here, we might easily pick the respondents in the Baylor survey who fall into the Authoritarian Group with the least amount of education. Certainly, any technology that will avail major improvements in knowledge, intelligence and enlightenment would be of the most benefit to this group. However, due to the extreme difference in where their heads are now, and the wall of dogma that surrounds them, they are going to be the hardest to reach… unless the introduction of the technologies involved are presented in a non-threatening way.

We have enough history behind us to know the fate of previously announced discoveries that might challenge entrenched religious beliefs…why not do it all very differently this time? Rather than leave it to inevitable negative religious interpretations or allow the press to control the spin on it, why not plan how every step of the way to the coming Singularity will be played out. Why not right now form an advance group of science, marketing and related disciplines that will identify the different demographics to be educated and construct the necessary lesson plans to reach them at their level of understanding. In addition to the leaders of this coming advancement, like Martine Rothblatt, Ray Kurzweil and Marvin Minsky, this committee might include Hollywood producers and some of the best special effects geniuses they employ. How about enlisting the ad people for Budweiser who consistently produce the most watched and enjoyed commercials on TV. There should be no limit on the types of talent that might be called upon to sell all the parts of the journey to the Singularity. This group may be able to successfully sell each piece of science advancement as a very positive techno improvement like the cannons to cell phones mentioned earlier; ameliorating what might be construed as a threat for which barriers will be set in place.

This may sound like manipulation, but it is not that. It is the epitome of what it means to teach. All worthy teachers or counselors first determine what their students already know and gauge what materials will work best to teach them. Important in the process is determining at what pace the students will be able to absorb the material, being very careful not to overload the students which only leads to frustration and eventual mental shut down. If the coming Singularity is a positive and meaningful advancement for all Humans, it is the ethical responsibility of the leaders of this movement to employ all the necessary teaching tools as its disposal. It is imperative that this planning committee create the strategies to bridge the disconnect that exists between the highly intelligent, committed scientists and all the potential beneficiaries of their work. Without this bridge, the open vacuum will be filled with a dam constructed by religious and political hierarchies.

Footnotes

1. Terasem Journal article: Macro-Bushido: A Geoethical Consciousness for an Info-Cultural Age by Martine Rothblatt. Terasemjournals.org/PC0103/rothblatt_03a.html.

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