The Phillips Files #27 Technology & Human Extinction by R.P. Phillips

Ecological -- Global warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, pollution, over population, even flatulence is causing the ecological destruction of the planet we live on. Everywhere you turn, somehow, somewhere, we're causing ecological disasters. References and links for this subject are endless and for brevity, I suggest doing an internet search on the subject. Just select the highlights or you'll be surfing the subject for years (and we at MacMilitia would really miss you).

Religious/Psychic Predictions -- Armageddon, chaos, death, destruction; if you've got a religion and/or psychic allegiance, you've got predications of ultimate destruction and the elimination of humanity. I'm really not going to dwell on this subject, the length of this article would grow exponentially and the next thing you'd know, I'd have written an encyclopedia on this subject.

Astronomical Disaster --

There's also the sun going nova, alien attacks, bringing back alien diseases, etc... This is another extensive subject, with most ideas steeped heavily in SciFi and/or paranoia.

Diminished Gene Pool -- With technology making this world 'smaller' and with humanities breeding habits, it seems as though the variations in genes are diminishing. Some fear that this will eliminate the opportunity for human kind to properly evolve, as well as, lead to ultimate extinction. A frightening thought, but a lot of generations away. Yet, there are those who are worrying about it now. Such places as the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement already exist. Another twist on this subject, as well as the entire article's theme, can be found at http://www.askwhy.co.uk/awmike/stinonikos/stnikosp.htm. Still, the odds of astronomical destruction places earth's end generations before genetic stagnation.

Cylon Factor -- Fear abounds about making machines too smart, too strong and, basically, too good. They'll advance to the point where humans won't be needed and the until their no longer wanted. My greatest fear on this subject is that, when machine advance enough, so silly human civil rights fanatics will pursue legal actions to give them the same rights as humans. Can you imagine your Apple Macintosh G504 needing maternity leave (their having an iMac Rev SID). Followed by voting for other computers for public office (the thought of a Windoze based machine sitting as any elected official is terrifying)

Ecological, Astronomical & Religious/Psychic Solutions -- Does the phrase 'Space, the final frontier' ring a bell? There are, seemingly, an endless amount of planets and star systems to which we can escape the variety of doomsday scenarios that await this planet. Technology needs only to find a way to get our descendants off this 'Earth' place before the end.

Gene Pool This= GeneEnhancedCloneKitOption (NeoSapiens1) -- Where you take your DNA, have them enhanced (stronger, smarter, better vision, better hearing, better memory, enhanced immune system, etc...; somewhat similar to selecting your new computer at the Apple Store; selecting the options you want while staying within your budget), clone the new you and then use a SciFi classic machine to transfer your entire memory from your brain to the new little you (I wonder if Norton (Symantec) will make a program to optimize the brain data before it's transferred and/or if you'll be able to fit an Aladdin Systems stuffed version on your iMation SuperFloppy to keep with you -- in case you need to be 'rebooted'). The old you, being brain dead, could be used as spare parts for those who can't afford this type of procedure.
For those complaining about the diminishing gene pool causing human extinction, this opens up entirely new possibilities. The gene pool has just had the top blown right off it & this makes the possibilities all but endless. You've got to know that, sooner or later, someone is going to do this. Regardless of any laws passed now, the possibility of pseudo-immortality will reign supreme.

Cylon Factor -- Ooops; this might be a bit of a problem. Creating machines with advanced artificial intelligence that are designed to 'take over the menial tasks' might just be a problem. Sooner or later, some human rights fanatics will fight for their rights and next thing you know -- humanity will be mere servants for these advanced machines.
The two options I see as possibilities are:

• Keep the paranoids in charge. They'll figure out a way to delay this with auto shut off/destruct options (when they find machines are getting too smart for our own good)
• Erase the entire Lawyer profession. No lawyers, no human rights law suits. No machine using another machine (probably a relative) to elect and pass laws. The possibilities for corruption are severe.
  

While Data (referring to Lt. Commander Data -- the Star Trek Character) probably would disagree with my assessment of machines advancing and taking over the universe; the possibilities are there.

As for the Borg idea; I don't think so. A half human, half machine sounds like a society with too much inner conflict to be effective. Advanced robotics would eliminate the need & desire for human pieces-parts.

While this article had only veiled connections to Apple (this is a Mac site - isn't it), I still thought the subject was an interesting one and it should be shared. Who knows, maybe it will cause many of you to seriously think about it and maybe one of you will find the 'ultimate' solution to keep humanity from becoming a future species source of oil and paleontological mysteries.


1. NeoSapiens. A phrase I overheard in a short lived 80's cartoon show that my nephew use to watch. It referred to the next major species of human-type beings. I am afraid neither my nephew nor I can remember the name of this cartoon or I certainly would have given it it's proper recognition.

Thanks-
R.P. Phillips

© 1997-2002 MacMilitia.com, Contact Us
John Norton, Webmaster