With so many scientific fields undergoing rapid advances and in many cases converging, among them the fields of biology, neuroscience, computing and artificial intelligence, is it too much to speculate that some day we may be able to effectively link human cognitive function -- and memories -- directly with a reliable android support system? The 1999 film, The Thirteenth Floor, by Director Josef Rusnak and starring Gretchen Mol and Craig Bierko, theorized its near perfection, as did the movies The Matrix, Surrogates and Avatar.
What would it mean for the human mind if its existence as a relatively fragile, biological-based physical organism with a finite lifespan were able to be strengthened and maintained indefinitely? It's not a new question, but I'd say the longer time goes on the closer we're moving in that direction. Have researchers ever been able to store even one element of a biological organism's memory in an artificial environment? What would it mean for our future if they were able to? Watch this video from PBS and tell me it doesn't give you an idea or two about where this is all headed. The direct link is here: PBS exerpt on robots.
Fantasyland: Author Kurt Andersen
Above Video: Center for Inquiry / How can we make sense of America’s current “post-factual,” “post-truth,” “fake news” moment? By looking to America’s past. All the way back. To the wishful dreams and make-believe fears of the country’s first settlers, the madness of the Salem witch trials, the fantasies of Hollywood, the anything-goes 1960s, the gatekeeper-free internet, the profusion of reality TV….all the way up to and most especially including President Donald Trump. In this fascinating and lively talk, Kurt Andersen brings to life the deep research behind and profound implications of his groundbreaking, critically acclaimed and bestselling latest work.