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Jason Joy

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Making us smarter as key technology

Shouldnt we focus most of our research efforts on drugs / genetic changes / connection of digital and analogue intelligence (internet / omnitouch...) or other technologies to make us humans more intelligent? Since if we would be more intelligent, it would have a leverage-effect on all other problems we want to solve.

Topics: cognitive enhancement genetics intelligence
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    Jason Joy

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    TED Translator
    Dec 19 2011: Everything that can be done will be done. If there is the technology that is highly beneficial for individuals, and they have the money / ressources to use it, they will, regardless of ethical, environmental or other implications / concerns. Its like the prolongation the life. If the technology is there, rich people will use it, regardless of concerns of world overpopulation.So the question is how to avoid abuse and use new technology for the best of humanity. but most likely if such technologies arise there will be abuse, battle against this abuse, and in this fight an equilibrium will emerge. like the free market: there are people benefitting, and abusing the system, so rules emerge to regulate it if we see the negative consequences.i could imagine a world where the rich benefit from new technologies, living longer, being smarter and healthier. there will be resistance from the poor, some regulations or systems to avoid revolutions (like our social system with money for the jobless just enough that not too much violence happens), but still abuse unfair distribution will happen.but we cant condemn a technology just because unfair distribution or abuse is likely. since we cant avoid it eitherway, we should think about scenarios / structures / organisations where this technology benefits the most of us.

  • Ryan Turbiarz

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    Dec 18 2011: A good thought indeed. However, I would like to raise one important question. Are we really ready (as a species) to handle such improvements? If you look at the way society behaves, how it's structured. How would such enhancements be distributed? Who would get the best share of what there is to offer? What effects would come from such enhancements?

    If you look at the way the world is today. Try to imagine what it would be like with those who are most likely to have enhancements, actually have them. What would they do to society? How could they change it? Is it wise to let them change it? Now, I'm not saying change is bad, but I question the type of change that would come from such technology. What if it's used by the 'wrong' people, lets say. What if these people are power hungry and seek to control the situation. There are definitely people out there.

    As it stands, I see this as a kind of dream technology, as if you combine it with the things that happen in reality, you will have a lot of scary effects that could come from it.

  • Muhammad Talhi

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    Dec 17 2011: Thanks
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