From: mk_thisisit
The concept of immortality can be divided into two main categories: digital and organic, each presenting unique challenges and possibilities for the future of humanity [00:00:42], [00:12:24].
Digital Immortality
Digital immortality is the ability to preserve an individual’s identity, memories, and thought patterns in a non-biological format [00:12:33]. This form of immortality is considered achievable today, albeit in primitive forms [00:00:37], [00:13:29].
Current Capabilities
The first generation of digitally immortal people already exists [00:12:45]. This is currently achieved by creating an image of a person that can move, speak, and engage in conversation [00:12:49], [00:12:53].
An example of this is William Shatner, known from Star Trek, who underwent a multi-day process to record his entire biography, life ideas, thoughts, and stories [00:13:07]. This recording was then linked to his digital image, creating a version of him that can “live forever” and interact with others, enabling future generations to converse with him about life in the 20th century [00:13:20], [00:13:35].
This technology allows for the preservation of a person’s thoughts indefinitely, maintaining privacy as secrets can be kept within the recording unless intentionally shared [00:14:26], [00:14:37].
Future of Digital Immortality
Within 100 to 1000 years, it may be possible to transfer the human brain to a computer or a computer to the brain, effectively making both one entity [00:00:25], [00:00:33], [00:16:42].
The concept of digitizing the human brain, which contains 100 billion neurons (compared to 100,000 in an insect brain that has already been digitized), is seen as “only a matter of time” [00:15:34], [00:15:45]. This process is likened to “reverse engineering the brain” [00:16:37].
In the distant future, digital selves could be saved as software, placed in rockets, and launched into space [00:20:01]. Upon landing on a celestial body, this software could connect to and control an exoskeleton, allowing for the exploration of the universe by sending one’s consciousness on a journey [00:20:21], [00:20:39].
Organic Immortality
Organic immortality, which allows the physical body to live forever, is considered much more difficult to achieve [00:00:42], [00:00:48], [00:14:46], [00:14:50].
Proposed Solutions
One proposed solution involves replacing used organs with new ones, thereby maintaining the physical body indefinitely [00:20:59], [00:21:05].
Convergence of Immortality and Technology
The future envisions a convergence of human biology and advanced technology, impacting both digital and organic immortality [00:00:25].
Brain-Computer Interfaces and Quantum Computing
The human brain, once considered a “black box,” is now understood to have mechanical analogies and potentially quantum properties [00:11:43], [00:11:55]. Quantum computers, which already exist and operate in a world of infinite states, are millions of times more powerful than today’s digital computers and could someday work similarly to a quantum brain [00:07:17], [00:07:35], [00:12:01].
Current progress allows for the connection of the human brain to a laptop, enabling paralyzed individuals to control movements and perform activities considered human [00:17:16], [00:17:56]. This has been demonstrated at events like the Olympic Games, where a paralyzed man, using a digital skeleton connected to his brain, was able to walk and open the event [00:18:11].
Human Modification and Space Colonization
The ability to modify the human genome, not just one gene at a time, but the entire genome, could allow for radical changes to human biology [00:08:44], [00:08:49]. Instead of solely curing diseases, this could enable humanity to change itself to populate the universe [00:09:04], [00:09:08].
Instead of adapting planets like Mars to human needs, future humans might modify themselves to survive in diverse and hostile environments throughout the universe [00:11:04], [00:11:22]. This could lead to the creation of “superhumans” with abilities beyond robots, capable of colonizing Mars and subsequently the universe [00:19:21], [00:19:32].
The ability to control a robot or exoskeleton via consciousness could allow for colonization of the universe at speeds approaching that of light, adhering to the laws of physics [00:21:11], [00:21:23], [00:21:29]. This implies a future where humanity could become “mythical gods” with the ability to manipulate matter, energy, and life itself [00:04:26], [00:04:39], [00:04:45], [00:05:01], [00:08:15].
Consciousness and Conscious Machines
While there is no universally accepted definition of consciousness [00:21:45], [00:22:09], it is believed possible to create a machine that is aware of its location, understands its position in the universe, and can interact with humans and other beings [00:21:52], [00:22:24].
This implies a future where technological entities might exhibit what we perceive as consciousness, blurring the lines between natural and artificial existence.