Teme: Technological Meme

Originally posted by rwingett
As humans, we like to think that we're the ones in charge. We assume that we have free will, that we're choosing this over that, and that we're using technology to further our own purposes. To a human, nothing would seem more obvious. If that were true, then we should be able to keep our technology from destroying both us and the world around us. But we can robably finished. And if we continue on our current path, I'd have to say that I agree.

Doomsday prophets have had a poor score so far. Right from Malthus to Dr.Bertrand Russell. How do the scientists who believe in Evolution and other thinkers of similar bent of mind,explain that the humans, who are the present day phenotypes are not the "lumbering robots " for the memes that they are said to be carrying, that they actually think that they are in charge, that they have a free will. Why have the forces of memetic Evolution led to the survival of this type of human who is not the lumbering robot that the memes would have liked to survive?
Human beings are led by the thought and behaviour examples of their leaders, if copying is said to be the driving force in this theory of human culture and future. And fortunately the leaders of humanity so far have been far seeing,ethical people who have also been theists. They have believed that the aim of humanity is not grossing of wealth but sharing of happiness together. Their behaviour has set standards of frugality,simplicity. The leaders have always believed in a higher force guiding humanity. How does the memetic theory explain the long lasting idea of religion and God ? Are memes brothers of God and are the temes the first cousins ?

Originally posted by twhitehead
Based on observation of biology in the natural world however, 3. seems most likely. Unless we are a direct threat to technology, there is no real reason why it would wipe us out. A symbiotic relationship seems more beneficial and therefore more likely. Whether we consider ourselves 'winners' or even willing in such a relationship remains to be seen.
You ...[text shortened]... ss as an unwilling participant in the current symbiosis, yet you seem unable to get out of it.

The difference is that technology is only directing our evolution as though it were doing so consciously. But it isn't. It has set in motion optimal strategies for evolving and replicating itself, but has no method of deciding when enough is enough. It is an out-of-control system of replication that will outstrip the environment's ability to support it. This will result in the temes driving the living organisms and cultures that support it to extinction.

That is the scenario I see before us. If this happens before technology becomes self-aware (if it is ever capable of doing so at all) then it would destroy itself in the process. If technology became self-aware before this crash, then it could conceivably take steps to alter that outcome. But I think that the pace of environmental degradation is outpacing the development of artificial intelligence by a wide enough margin.

But we need not remain the tools of our tools. The chance still exists for us to pull ourselves out from under the unconscious sway of the temes and halt that runaway train before it derails. And that chance is why this thread is in the spirituality forum.

Originally posted by rvsakhadeo
Doomsday prophets have had a poor score so far. Right from Malthus to Dr.Bertrand Russell. How do the scientists who believe in Evolution and other thinkers of similar bent of mind,explain that the humans, who are the present day phenotypes are not the "lumbering robots " for the memes that they are said to be carrying, that they actually think that the ...[text shortened]... ing idea of religion and God ? Are memes brothers of God and are the temes the first cousins ?

Malthus was right. Things have not proceeded exactly as he predicted, but the general conclusion appears to be correct. Humanity will outstrip their environment's ability to keep pace with the demands they put upon it. Food demand, though, will not be our immediate downfall. It will be energy demands. Energy, in many cases, that is used for food production. Some 70% of the world's water usage, for example, is for irrigation. If our population increases to 10 or 15 billion, where will that leave us?

I have come to increasingly think that there is a connection between scientific materialism and cultural materialism. Even though they are clearly separate things, I think the former facilitates and drives the latter on. A scientific culture is a technological culture which becomes a culturally materialistic culture. Thus science, by placing no appropriate reins on the advancement of technology, facilitates our becoming the tools of our tools and is responsible for driving us headlong into the looming teme orchestrated environmental catastrophe. The question that interests me is whether any of our religions (regardless of whether they are true) can be harnessed to alter that outcome.

My final, crushing attack, the one that will annihilate everyone on these forums except me and Dasa, will be delayed by several days. I have to go out of town. As a clue, though, it will involve Martin Heidegger. That will give me some time to brush up on my copy of Heidegger For Beginners. You are warned. Prepare yourselves as best you can.

My prepartions in defense of your final, crushing attack, will also be delayed. I have received more pressing orders from my superior, in the form of a honey-do list.

Originally posted by sumydid
My prepartions in defense of your final, crushing attack, will also be delayed. I have received more pressing orders from my superior, in the form of a honey-do list.

Your false religion makes you no better than a mongoose or a wildebeest.