Anthropogenesis And The Modern Information Society

The interaction of the human body with a machine

In scientific circles, there is a very interesting topic of the interaction of the human body with a machine, even the replacement (transplantation) of human organs with artificial organs, of course, the creation of qualitatively new materials (in particular, a new branch of science – nanotechnology deals with these issues), and, of course, the development of information technologies.

It is safe to say that in many respects the ideas of Russian cosmism influenced the development of the ideas of cyborgization (artificial intelligence), in which Russian philosophers convinced that evolution continues at a new stage in the noosphere (the sphere of the mind).

The human body has "limitations"

Many modern scientists come to the conclusion that the human body, as a matter of fact, of a perfect organism, nevertheless has certain limitations: not all colors, sound waves can distinguish between the human body, electromagnetic waves, etc., are largely inaccessible to human perception, etc.

Therefore, in 1960, the term “cyborg” was used for the first time by Manfred Kleins and Nathan Klin, which was considered as a result of combining (hybridizing) a biological human organism with electronic (mechanical) components. The reasoning of the authors of this term was initially quite simple and was based on the assumption of the possibility of a longer survival of “cyborgs” on Earth than of Man as a simple biological species.

The authors of this term suggest that the biological evolution of man on Earth will sooner or later continue its development as "biotechnological evolution", allowing one to take into account all the modern innovations of civilization and continue the development of mankind.

Today it is already possible to give examples of “cyborgs” or “cyborgization”: British professor Kevin Warwick was one of the first examples of cyborgs. He had an implantation operation.

The ideas of modern transhumanism and the singularity of the scientific process also contributed greatly to this. All these phenomena sooner or later, but inevitably lead to the creation of artificial intelligence and the gradual cyborgization of mankind.

Transhumanism (immortalism)

The approach explains the phenomenon of “cyborgization” with the desire of people to achieve “immortality”; in this case, we are talking about the so-called “digital immortality” or biotechnological immortality.

Immortalism is a belief system based on the desire of people to avoid death. In this case, the introduction of artificial intelligence, the development of “cyborgs” gives modern humanity the opportunity to "defeat death." Transhumanism is a philosophical concept that supports the use of modern science and technology to improve the mental and physical capabilities of a person, in order to eliminate the negative or undesirable aspects of human existence, such as death, suffering, illness and aging.

One of the followers of transhumanism and the ideas of cyborgization is the American futurologist, technical director of Google, the creator of the University of the Singularity Raymond Kurzweil.

Kurzweil (2015) believes that post-biological intelligence will be "installed" in robots in the same way as software is now installed on our computers. In his extrapolation, Kurzweil believes that rapid stimulation of cyborgization processes can lead to technological singularity as early as 2045.

Cyborgization is the transition from biological evolution to techno-evolution, that is, at a stage that is completely controlled from techno-anthropic products.

Kurzwell (2015) claims that artificial intelligence can be successfully regulated, for example, biotechnology. He calls not to be afraid of artificial intelligence (cyborgs), but to try to “benefit” from the application of artificial intelligence technologies. It compares that in the 1950s, civil defense exercises were a “threat” to people, people perceived it as a “threat”, and currently perceive a “threat” in the use of artificial intelligence (cyborgs) (Kurzwell, 2015, p. 274).

Cyberfeminism

Philosophical direction related to the study of cyberspace, the Internet and information technology. The term was first used in the 1990s (Daniels, Haraway, Plant). This direction is characterized by the perception of cyberspace, the Internet, as “special zones” that are free from gender, gender, and even social constructs.

Daniels, a professor at City University of New York, believes that cyberfeminism is a series of theories, practices, and discussion points of view regarding the relationship between gender, gender, and digital space.

American professor, representative of cyberfeminism Donna Haraway, most of whose works, and especially her "Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology and Socialist Feminism of the 1980s." devoted to considering the image of the "cyborg" in modern society.

A woman is not something “specific”.

Haraway (1990) writes that a woman is not something specific and there is no category that unites this gender under the concept of “woman”. From the point of view of Haraway (1990), there are only physiological signs that define “a woman”, but “being a woman” is a completely different existential category that is not available in definitions of gender or gender. She fights off her rivals, claiming that a “woman” must always be “feminine,” is there really no “woman” with “muscular energy” in this case, is it possible that all “men” possess “masculinity”, and “men” do not have a certain share of “femininity” (Haraway, 1990).

The border between a man and a woman is alien to a cyborg.

The border between a man and a woman is alien to a cyborg, Haraway writes; therefore, it is necessary in the modern information society to strive not for identity (to be a “woman”), but for “closeness” (common interests, morals, etc.) (Haraway, 1990).

Postbiological virtual modeling

Modeling the cohesive development of society with a departure from biological evolution into a technological-virtual sphere, where a person and the world of life are virtualized to the level of a techno man. Virtual modeling (can be thought of as space-time modeling) allows us to describe nature in four dimensions – in three spatial dimensions and in time. It is quite difficult to describe any biological system (including humans), since they are characterized by: multidimensionality (an infinite number of measurements within the continuum), regulation, the presence of complex spatial forms, nonlinearity, the conjugation of processes at different scales and in different subsystems, plasticity in time (dynamic evolution in time), nonequilibrium.

NBICS-Convergenceism

Convergenceism connecting the future stage of human development with the improvement of his physicality through the development of nano-, bio-, info-, cognitive- and socio-technologies. This term NBIC convergence has already firmly entered the modern scientific environment, arguing that only the combination of efforts of various scientific disciplines is able to make “breakthrough” actions in science, leading to new (now it is fashionable to say, “innovative” technologies). The authors of this term and NBIC technology are Michael Roko and William Bainbridge, who in 2002 first described its origin and impact on scientific discoveries. NBIC technology is especially interesting for the joint interaction of information technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology and cognitive science. Actually, the term itself arose: N-nano, B-bio, I-info, C-cogno.

In Russia, Alekseeva et al. (2013) pay attention to the inhumanity of the concept of “cyborg”, “android”, “biorobot”, convince us that artificial intelligence does not have emotions and, of course, in no case should be regarded as equal in relation to the human person. Artificial intelligence (cyborg) is necessary when performing certain tasks and in catastrophic scenarios of the development of mankind (Alekseeva et al., 2013).

According to futurologists, NBICS convergence will allow the creation of artificial intelligence, cyborgs, any materials with pre-predicted properties. It will be possible to program genes, which will bring genetic modifications to a new level and much more.

Horgan (2001), an American philosopher and writer, argues that the emergence of NBIC technology will mean the “beginning of the end of science” and the emergence of a new “mega-area” of human knowledge. NBIC technologies will lead humanity to the unification of previously divided, specialized scientific disciplines at a new qualitative level (Horgan, 2001, p. 321).

Environmental optimism

An approach linking the massive emergence of cyborgs with the development of human adaptive qualities to new environmental challenges. Thanks to cyborgs, as some scientists and philosophers believe, humanity can very well “adapt” to environmental changes or practically “survive” with unrealistic changes in temperature, pressure, etc. for the human body.

Gender constructivism

The approach connects the emergence of a cyborg with overcoming gender differences, the organization of a new post-gender type of personality. We can say that the source of this theory of “gender constructivism” is the theory of the social construction of reality Berger and Luckman. The main idea of social construction of gender is that each individual can not only perceive gender rules, but also create them himself. That is, applicable to the modern post-industrial (informational) society, the “cyborgization” of the modern society “erases” the boundaries between the sexes and forms a “new post-gender identity” (although it is difficult for many philosophers to call a “cyborg” a “personality”) (Berger & Lukman, 1995, p. 176).

Ethical Imperatives for the Humanities

A modern specialist developing economic strategies and social development of society should clearly be aware that in high-tech society meeting human needs ceases to be an end in itself, justifying any path of development of civilization, and the principle becomes a strategically justified life principle self-restraint of mankind in the name of preserving life on Earth.

Technological innovations change our lives

The philosophy and sociology of technology presented in engineering education, can help a novice engineer realize the end the meanings of technical development: scientific and technological progress is not a goal, but a means of improving human life, the task of engineering is not simply changing the world around, and improving it in the interests of life and health person.