Assume, for a moment, that certain promises of Singularitarians come true, and it becomes possible to create ‘sub-routines’ of an individual consciousness, copies and reiterations of a personality. Continue reading “The multiplicity of me – open thread”

We’re reaching a point where it will be possible to fundamentally alter the nature of what it is to be human. But should we use these technologies to do the same things to members of the animal kingdom? Continue reading “The Doolittle debate”

Where are we going, and why are we going there? Continue reading “Roadmap required”

I can say with certainty that there were at least forty or so people in the UK last night who weren’t obsessing over the fate of twentytwo overpaid men in shorts and one air-filled leather sack. We had far more interesting things to think about. Continue reading “Cafe Scientifique: Who’s afraid of conscious machines?”

As mentioned previously, yours truly is off to a ‘Cafe Scientifique’ about conscious machines this evening. So what better time to discuss robot ethics? Continue reading “Legislating against robot rape”

The first to inhabit any new frontier are the pioneers, the early adopters. But it never takes long for the commercial interests to follow suit, seeing opportunity in the form of a space uncluttered by competitors. Continue reading “A new world of opportunities”

Crikey. I know Stephen Hawking is a genius and everything, but I’m not sure whether he foresaw this happening. Continue reading “The great Hawking off-planet debate”

There’s a lot of talk about virtual environments these days, largely due to the proliferation of online roleplaying games. The futurists (myself included) see a harbinger of new worlds being created, ouside the ‘meatspace’ of reality, but just as alive. Continue reading “Playing God”

That’s the question posed by the people at Seed magazine to their stable of science bloggers. Continue reading “Will the human race exist in 100 years’ time?”

A molecular computer based on enzymes has been developed by Israeli scientists. Continue reading “Cell-level enzyme computer could deliver drugs logically”