July 2014 – Lifeboat News: The Blog https://lifeboat.com/blog Safeguarding Humanity Sun, 04 Jun 2017 19:06:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/lifeboat-foundation-worldwide-ambassador-white-swan-update-and-published-amazon-author-by-andres-agostini-at-www-amazon-comauthoragostini-and-www-linkedin-cominandresagostini-10 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 01:02:05 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11932 050

Economist: Social Security Is Insolvent, In Worse Shape Than Detroit’s Pension Funds https://www.trunews.com/economist-social-security-insolvent-…ion-funds/

Nanopropeller could be used for microscopic medicine http://www.kurzweilai.net/nanopropeller-could-be-used-for-microscopic-medicine

A ‘nanosubmarine’ that could deliver drug molecules to cells http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-nanosubmarine-that-could-deliver…s-to-cells

A rice genome to feed the world http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-rice-genome-to-feed-the-world

Brainwaves of a few people predict mass audience reaction to TV programs and ads http://www.kurzweilai.net/brainwaves-of-a-few-people-can-pre…ms-and-ads

Turning Pollution into Plastic http://www.33rdsquare.com/2014/07/turning-pollution-into-plastic.html

“WHAT IS THE CORRECT DIAGNOSIS? (SIC.)” http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140731223140&#4…gnosis-sic

Amazon Launches 3D Printing Services http://www.supplychain247.com/article/amazon_launches_3d_printing_services

A.P.: CIA spied on Senate, internal review finds http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_289563/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=P6fsJyhU

REUTERS: S&P500 index posts worst fall since April; indexes down for July http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/31/us-markets-stocks-…9T20140731

REUTERS: Argentine markets fall post-default, NY hearing on Friday http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/31/us-argentina-debt-…DX20140731

REUTERS: India’s demands block $1 trillion WTO deal on customs rules http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/31/us-india-trade-wto…9R20140731

The Wake-Up Call: Europe Toughens Stance against Putin http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/europe-prepares-t…83224.html

China’s Enforcers http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141688/deborah-m-lehr…-enforcers

Climate change new engine of China, US ties http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2014-07/09/content_17683820.htm

Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini

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Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/lifeboat-foundation-worldwide-ambassador-white-swan-update-and-published-amazon-author-by-andres-agostini-at-www-amazon-comauthoragostini-and-www-linkedin-cominandresagostini-9 Thu, 31 Jul 2014 01:43:57 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11922 048
How big data is going to help feed nine billion people by 2050 http://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-big-data-is-going-to…e-by-2050/

Direct Brain to Brain Communication Between Animals and Humans http://hplusmagazine.com/2014/07/28/direct-brain-to-brain-co…nd-humans/

How Facebook is evolving into a mobile ad giant http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/17562949-how-faceb…e-ad-giant

This Website Advertises A Bunch Of Jobs That Pay In Bitcoin http://www.businessinsider.com/profile-of-coinality-2013-12

Lenovo’s smart glasses prototype has battery at neck http://phys.org/news/2014-07-lenovo-smart-glasses-prototype-battery.html

Tiny UAVs and hummingbirds are put to test http://phys.org/news/2014-07-tiny-uavs-hummingbirds.html

10 Biggest CIO-CMO Relationship Hurdles http://www.cio.com/article/2458472/cio-role/160586-10-Bi…rdles.html

Beyond GPS: five next-generation technologies http://www.kurzweilai.net/beyond-gps-five-next-generation-technologies

Astrocytes — not neurons — found to control the brain’s gamma waves and some forms of memory www.kurzweilai.net/astrocytes-not-neurons-found-to-control-t…-of-memory

Simple vision-correcting overlay and algorithm could replace reading glasses for viewing devices http://www.kurzweilai.net/simple-vision-correcting-overlay-a…ng-devices

BBC: Bank of America’s Countrywide to pay $1.3bn to US http://www.bbc.com/news/business-28570935

Driverless cars will be on UK roads from January 2015 http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28562591

Robot ‘learns to keep going with broken leg’ http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28564349

REUTERS: Argentina fails to reach debt agreement, default looms http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/30/us-argentina-debt-…AM20140730

REUTERS: Moscow fights back after sanctions; battle rages near Ukraine crash site http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/30/us-ukraine-crisis-…JF20140730

REUTERS: Liberia shuts schools, considers quarantine to curb Ebola http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/30/us-health-ebola-li…2H20140730

Putin’s Losing Streak http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141663/stephen-holmes…ing-streak

The Dishonest Broker http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141667/bilal-y-saab/the-dishonest-broker

An Unnecessary Plague http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141369/jessica-hatche…ary-plague

Welcome to the Third Intifada http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141662/khaled-elgindy…d-intifada

Libya on the Brink http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141666/jason-pack/libya-on-the-brink

The hackers who recovered NASA’s lost lunar photos http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/30/world/hackers-nasa-lunar-p…?hpt=te_r1

CNN: Number of 9/11-related cancer cases is growing http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/30/health/911-cancer-increase…?hpt=hp_t3

9 Things to Know About Reviving the Recently Dead http://www.wired.com/2014/07/revive-the-dead/

How much is Los Angeles Tech Booming? Funding up 163% and Deals Up 180% https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/los-angeles-funding-exits

Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini

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Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/lifeboat-foundation-worldwide-ambassador-white-swan-update-and-published-amazon-author-by-andres-agostini-at-www-amazon-comauthoragostini-and-www-linkedin-cominandresagostini-8 Wed, 30 Jul 2014 04:17:36 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11920 047

CIOs, Companies Sharpen Skills for ‘Internet of Things’ Future http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2014/07/28/cios-companies-sharpen-s…gs-future/

Freeman Dyson Predicts the Future http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/space-flight/fr…the-future

IPCC climate change report’s findings must be accepted, MPs say http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/29/ipcc-clim…ed-mps-say

THE GUARDIAN: Chinese hackers steal Israel’s Iron Dome missile data http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/29/chinese-ha…ssile-data

Google calls for guinea pigs for ambitious ‘Baseline’ health study http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/28/google-baseline-health-study

6 Design Concepts From IDEO That Rethink Aging http://www.wired.com/2014/07/6-design-concepts-from-ideo-for…ng-easier/

An Ingenious Plane Design That Makes Room for Your Carry-Ons http://www.wired.com/2014/07/an-ingenious-plane-design-that-…carry-ons/

Japan’s Nuclear Roadmap To Economic Destruction http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/07/29/japans-nuc…struction/

A Global Calculator To Help Countries Understand How To Strategize for Climate Change http://www.21stcentech.com/global-calculator-understand-relate-climate-change/

Google’s next map: a healthy human body http://www.marketwatch.com/story/googles-next-map-a-healthy-…;07-25

US is the new Switzerland http://www.cnbc.com/id/101875767

Shanghai Electric, Siemens Invest $226 Million in Wind Ventures http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-08/shanghai-el…tures.html

Printing the Metals of the Future http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-247

What is the Difference between Posthumanism and Transhumanism? http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/lagrandeur20140729

Man-made ‘breathing’ leaf is an oxygen factory for space travel http://www.cnet.com/news/this-man-made-breathing-leaf-is-an-…ce-travel/

Google Attempts to Map Human Body http://www.exponentialtimes.net/videos/google-attempts-map-human-body

Is Safety Gratuitous and Long-lasting? By the White Swan’s book: http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140730010643&#4…wan-s-book

Bridging The Gap Between The Knowns With The Unknowns And Remained Victorious In The Process! http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140730022851&#4…he-process

Stem cell advance may increase efficiency of tissue regeneration http://phys.org/news/2014-07-stem-cell-advance-efficiency-tissue.html

Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini

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Man-made ‘breathing’ leaf is an oxygen factory for space travel https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/man-made-breathing-leaf-is-an-oxygen-factory-for-space-travel Tue, 29 Jul 2014 22:48:38 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11917 by — c/net

One of the persistent challenges of manned space exploration is that pesky lack of oxygen throughout much of the universe. Here on Earth, trees and other plant life do us a real solid by taking in our bad breath and changing it back to clean, sweet O2.

So what if we could take those biological oxygen factories into space with us, but without all the land, sun, water, soil, and gravity that forests tend to require? This is the point where NASA and Elon Musk should probably start paying attention.

Read more

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Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/lifeboat-foundation-worldwide-ambassador-white-swan-update-and-published-amazon-author-by-andres-agostini-at-www-amazon-comauthoragostini-and-www-linkedin-cominandresagostini-7 Tue, 29 Jul 2014 02:43:26 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11914 00d
TWENTY “WHITE SWAN BOOK” COMMANDMENTS OF RESILIENCY … http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140728221803&#4…resilience

The Scottish government has announced funding for a initiative to reduce the cost of offshore wind energy. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-28279336

WORLD ORDER IS RIGHT NOW CHANGING BEYOND EXPONENTIALLY, DEEPLY CHANGING MANY, MANY THINGS, INCLUDING THE PAUSING OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL SINGULARITY. LET US GET CONCERNED AND OPERATIONAL ABOUT THIS FOOLISH PRESENT!

Mapping the Spread of Drought Across the U.S. http://nyti.ms/1rZ27S9

Designing nanoparticles that can deliver drugs more easily http://www.kurzweilai.net/designing-nanoparticles-that-can-d…ore-easily

Social by the numbers: An interview with Sandy Pentland http://dupress.com/articles/sandy-pentland-mit-interview/

Building ‘invisible’ materials with light http://phys.org/news/2014-07-invisible-materials.html

The prettiest science experiments of the year according to Princeton http://sploid.gizmodo.com/these-are-some-of-the-coolest-look…+caseychan

Driverless cars, sexy robots, and flying trucks – this is the future http://rbth.com/science_and_tech/2014/07/16/driverless_cars_…38243.html)

Gold Bugs Meet Bitcoin Believers to Supplant the Dollar http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-28/gold-bugs-m…ollar.html

Qblinks — Smartphone Remote Notification and Control https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/myqblinks/qblinks-smart…nd-control

Startups Are Finally Hacking Healthcare http://techcrunch.com/2014/07/26/startups-are-finally-hackin…cial_share

Can you learn in your sleep? http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140721-how-to-learn-while-you-sleep

REUTERS: West agrees wider Russia sanctions as Kiev says forces near crash site http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/28/us-ukraine-crisis-…1Z20140728

REUTERS: Israel strikes house of Hamas Gaza leader, digs in for long fight http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/29/us-mideast-gaza-idUSKBN0FV04A20140729

Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini

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Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/lifeboat-foundation-worldwide-ambassador-white-swan-update-and-published-amazon-author-by-andres-agostini-at-www-amazon-comauthoragostini-and-www-linkedin-cominandresagostini-6 Fri, 25 Jul 2014 03:21:49 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11911 00c

Beijing Has Top-Secret View of China’s Employment http://online.wsj.com/articles/heard-on-the-street-beijing-h…1406187890

How Hackers Hid a Money-Mining Botnet in Amazon’s Cloud http://www.wired.com/2014/07/how-hackers-hid-a-money-mining-…ons-cloud/

Scientists Just Reversed Paralysis http://www.wallstreetdaily.com/2014/07/22/led-light-paralysi…n-disease/

How a solar storm two years ago nearly caused a catastrophe on Earth http://wapo.st/1peCewu

Air Algerie plane with 116 aboard crashes in Mali http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/07/24/algerian…/13084329/

The Next Big Thing in Hardware: Smart Garbage http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/the-next-big-thing-…s&_r=0

Scientists use virus to grow natural pacemaker from heart muscle http://americablog.com/2014/07/scientists-use-virus-create-n…uscle.html

Researchers fully ‘delete’ HIV from human cells for the first time http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/22/researchers-delete-hiv-fr…_truncated

Complex cellular-molecular crosstalk of vertebrate regeneration http://bit.ly/1zabxgR

Graphene and related materials promise cheap, flexible printed cameras http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology-news/newsid=36679.php

Eyeglass Wearers Can Ditch Their Eyewear http://www.21stcentech.com/gizmos-gadgets-eyeglass-wearers-ditch-eyewear/

Got an Old Satellite Dish? – Convert it to Your Own Radio Telescope http://www.21stcentech.com/satellite-dish-convert-radio-telescope/

Holographic Displays Coming to Smartphones http://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/audiovideo/hol…martphones

IMF cuts US and global growth forecasts for 2014 http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/global-markets/i…980635.cms

Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini

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Debate featuring Anders Sandberg on the future of human cloning https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/debate-on-human-cloning Wed, 23 Jul 2014 14:47:48 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11852 Anders Sandberg, a member of the advisory board for the Lifeboat Foundation, recently took part in a panel debate on the future of human cloning produced by the Institute of Art and Ideas.

14-07-10.Planet-of-the-Clones

Debate blurb:

Human cloning is anathema to most of us conjuring up Metropolis visions of identical humans serving tyrannical masters. But might this be a mistaken horror story? Could human cloning instead lead to medical breakthroughs and the end to infertility?

Debate panel:

Dolly the Sheep embryologist Sir Ian Wilmut, outspoken Oxford bioethicist and transhumanist Anders Sandberg and radical sociologist Hilary Rose.

Watch Planet of the Clones on IAI.TV

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Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/lifeboat-foundation-worldwide-ambassador-white-swan-update-and-published-amazon-author-by-andres-agostini-at-www-amazon-comauthoragostini-and-www-linkedin-cominandresagostini-5 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 01:43:19 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11905 032

Five reasons HarperCollins’ ecommerce is just part of a clever anti-Amazon strategy http://www.publishingtechnology.com/2014/07/five-reasons-har…-strategy/

Italy gives Google 18 months to comply with European privacy regulations http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/22/italy-goog…egulations

Yahoo buys mobile analytics firm Flurry http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/22/yahoo-buys…irm-flurry

Stripe steps up PayPal rivalry with Australian launch http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/22/stripe-ste…ian-launch

When Technologies Combine, Amazing Innovation Happens http://www.fastcoexist.com/3032977/when-technologies-combine…on-happens

Mysterious dance of dwarfs may force a cosmic rethink http://phys.org/news/2014-07-mysterious-dwarfs-cosmic-rethink.html

Plants are talking and these sensors let us hear what they’re saying http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/plants-are-talking-and-the…aying.html

Law of physics governs airplane evolution http://phys.org/news/2014-07-law-physics-airplane-evolution.html

China set to be net investor http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2014-06/25/content_17613259.htm

Noninvasive retinal imaging device detects Alzheimer’s 20 years in advance http://www.kurzweilai.net/noninvasive-retinal-imaging-device…in-advance

More-efficient solar-powered steam http://www.kurzweilai.net/more-efficient-solar-powered-steam

3D-printed-anatomy developers aim to revolutionize medical education http://www.kurzweilai.net/3d-printed-anatomy-developers-aim-…-education

Apple posts $7.7 billion in profit, but all eyes look to new products in the fall http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/22/5926913/apple-q3-2014-earnings

China and Switzerland sign currency swap agreement http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=2014…p;cid=1203

REUTERS: U.S. court rulings create new uncertainty over Obamacare http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-usa-court-obama…JI20140722

REUTERS: Facebook’s Zuckerberg to testify at N.Y. forgery trial: prosecutors http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-facebook-ceglia…C120140722

REUTERS: EU antitrust regulators likely to step up Google probes: WSJ http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-google-antitrus…ZJ20140722

REUTERS: Hacking experts build device to protect cars from cyber attacks http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-cybersecurity-a…FR20140722

REUTERS: Google must face U.S. privacy lawsuit over commingled user data http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-google-privacy-…XA20140722

REUTERS: PayPal signs “ten of thousands” customers in Nigerian launch http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-nigeria-paypal-…2L20140722

Europe Treads Cautious Path in Confronting Russia http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/07/22/europe_sanc…_17_russia

U.S. Intelligence No Closer to Pinning MH17 Downing on Russia http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/07/22/us_intell…_on_russia

Economics 101: How The Cloud Is Changing More Than Just Technology http://www.crn.com/news/cloud/300072156/economics-101-how-th…nology.htm

3D Printing Goes Big-Time for Small Production Runs http://machinedesign.com/3d-printing/3d-printing-goes-big-ti…ction-runs

The Internet of Things May See Huge Growth, So Companies Want in Now www.entrepreneur.com/article/234731

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Allysia Finley: How Government Is Making Solar Billionaires http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303376904579135842033421008

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: 4 Industries Most in Need of Data Scientists http://online.wsj.com/ad/article/narratives_sas_65124.html?prx_t=HYwBAfZUBApeEEA

Schizophrenia’s genetic ‘skyline’ rising: Suspect common variants soar from 30 to 108 http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-07-schizophrenia-gene…iants.html

Lifeboat Foundation Worldwide Ambassador White Swan Update and Published Amazon Author by Andres Agostini at www.amazon.com/author/agostini AND www.linkedin.com/in/andresagostini

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Tiny 3D-Printed Bio-Bots Are Propelled by Muscle Cells https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/tiny-3d-printed-bio-bots-are-propelled-by-muscle-cells Tue, 22 Jul 2014 20:54:04 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11903 Written By: — Singularity  Hub
muscle-powered-3d-printed-bio-bots 1
Robots come in all shapes and sizes—some are mechanical, and some aren’t. Last year, a team of scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign made a seven-millimeter-long 3D printed robot powered by the heart cells of a rat.

The device, made of 3D printed hydrogel—a water-based, biologically compatible gel—had two feet, one bigger than the other. The smaller, longer foot was coated in heart cells. Each time the cells contracted, the robot would crawl forward a few millimeters.

Read more

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‘A struggle between humans and nature’ https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/a-struggle-between-humans-and-nature https://lifeboat.com/blog/2014/07/a-struggle-between-humans-and-nature#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2014 16:00:14 +0000 http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=11880
. @IEET. @HJBentham. @ClubOfINFO. #nature. #philosophy. #ebook.

There is often imagined to be a struggle between humans and nature. How does this struggle originate, and what is its resolution? Such a question is central to some religious traditions, and has much room to be explored in literature.
Nature is used to describe everything that lies outside of human agency. Disasters and disease often fall under this description, although there is usually some element of human blame in such problems. Some people try to live or eat according to preferences that they call “natural”. In my view, this is a fallacy. When we use the word natural with its only workable definition, to represent something distinct from human agency, it means that anything resulting from human agency is unnatural and so it cannot be natural (even if it imitates nature). When it applies to human choices, natural is only an arbitrary label used by people to refer to anything they approve of.
Why would humans battle against nature? Perhaps suffering can be described as the most imposing and constantly surfacing part of nature in our lives, because it is ultimately caused by the laws of biology rather than human wills. We humans have vulnerable bodies and we rely on vulnerable, easily destroyed brains to exist, although it is very apparent that we would prefer not to be exposed in this way. Because this is so, the struggle to overcome humanity’s physical and medical vulnerabilities can be depicted as a battle against natureour nature.
The assertion that seeking invulnerability against suffering is an escape from cruel inevitabilities biology is certainly reflected in some philosophers, such as Friedrich Nietzsche. Despite seeing the transformation of humanity into a higher creature as a noble task, Nietzsche saw this as necessarily involving suffering. As for the desire to end suffering, he deplored this as a product of weakness and the inability to accept the forces outside human control.
Nietzsche addressed the way in which religious traditions give moral assurances against suffering. Religions offer promises of justice that run contrary to the natural order in which the strong are favored over the weak. The Christian doctrines of the fall of man and eternal Heaven are alike in their view that the world we know is flawed and polluted, and humans are instead meant to endure in paradise. Such myths have been easy for people to buy into, because it is often easier to tolerate suffering in the world and move on if one believes in a supernatural alternativea cosmic safety net for the weak and the deadafter it.
The other manifestation of our weak human refusal to accept suffering, but which actually works, is the desire to use science and technology to thwart suffering. Once we remove the supernatural, the only remaining assurances against suffering can necessarily come from the modernity of technology. In this sense, the idea of a technological singularity, after which the very best technology permitted by the laws of physics will get within reach, represents the only “true” paradise that could ever be inherited.
But what if a paradise, an all-encompassing solution to suffering, is impossible? A universe with high suffering is inherently more likely than a universe without it, because the “anthropic principle” does not contain any guarantees against mortality and suffering. The anthropic principle says human life exists only because this is a requisite for us to notice our own existence. Therefore, the anthropic principle leads to a universe that merely tolerates conscious life for a limited time, rather than enriches it or sustains it. Contrary to religious claims, the universe in which we reside is not “designed” for us to inhabit, and we know this because it is mostly uninhabitable. The vacuum of space cannot be inhabited, and most locations in the universe have the wrong temperature or lack the elements needed for life to exist. What is conspicuous is that the universal constants allow us to exist, not in any kind of ideal state but just enough.
One can relate “extropy” (Kevin Kelly’s usage of the term) to the anthropic principle. Where the anthropic principle explains the human-friendly properties of the universe as existing simply because a human observer exists, extropy the guarantee of something even more complex and intelligent in the future. More than simply tolerating human life, then, a universe where humans exist includes the inevitability that human intelligence will evolve into or produce something far more enduring and glorious. After all, we are no pinnacle, and we are still witnessing an ongoing explosion of intelligence through such creations as the internet and the race to develop powerful AI.
Take a look at history and current cosmology, and we will see that extropy looks very valid. Humans have undeniably been improving their existence, and this is arguably due to the universe being filled with resources that are very friendly to our needs. There are seemingly infinite resources and tools in the universe for humans to exploit to improve their civilization, and the anthropic principle alone did not necessary contain any guarantee that such useful “equipment” would exist. Conceivably, there could be worlds where intelligent life exists but there can be no fire. There might also have been no sufficient quantities of ores or effective tools to build an advanced civilization. Certainly, humans have a lot more at their fingertips than the minimal equipment promised to them by the anthropic principle. Although there is not necessarily a God to thank for it, there is a lot to be thankful for.
What if there was a world where conditions were less favorable? Perhaps, if humans were too vulnerable, there would be less potential to develop civilization, and instead all thought would be dedicated to staying alive. A work of fiction I have dedicated to exploring this theme, The Traveller and Pandemonium, takes place in a more hostile universe than ours (as permitted in the “many-worlds hypothesis”), where a traveler is not convinced by the idea that humanity could have arisen in such unfavorable conditions. Determining that humanity belongs in another world, he searches vainly for the solution.
The traveler keeps his quest secret, aware that most people will condemn him as a religious nut searching for Heaven if he talks about it, but there is actually a rational basis for his view that humans belong elsewhere. The world in which he resides is genuinely toxic and inhospitable to humanity, humans are vulnerable to every creature in the world around them, and they are rapidly going extinct. It looks like a human colonization gone awry on a hostile alien world, although no-one knows how it got that way.
The two strategies against suffering in the world can be described as surgical and spiritual. Those who advocate “spiritual” solutions are only offering window-dressing to humanity while they greedily seek power. Those who advocate “surgical” solutions might not seem beautiful or perfect in what they promise, but they are the only ones promising something real, offering something tangible that could really fight away the uglier characteristics of the universe and save what can be saved.

By Harry J. Bentham - More articles by Harry J. Bentham

Originally published at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies on 17 July 2014

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