After a unusually grueling consulting stint that left me feeling burnt out, I found myself going through a motivational lull. Procrastination crept in, and I soon felt subject to the diktat of the ticking clock. I had lost my ability … Continue reading
Could the development of ars technica (the art of technology) be made to fit into a framework that would not only reflect the technological progress made by humanity so far, but also be reasonably accurate at predicting our future as a species? Of course, one could argue that anything can fit into a framework, provided you tweak the framework enough to reach whichever conclusion you aim for. But sophism aside, is there some predictability to be derived from the history of mankind’s command of technology? Here are five proposed stages of technological development. Continue reading
Transhumanism will be more than a mere improvement of man through technology; it is going to bring an end to evolutionary randomness, the fundamental underlying principle which (coupled with natural selection) has driven the evolution of all organisms since the emergence of life on Earth (and quite possibly anywhere else in the Universe). Continue reading
While we may be tempted to look at humans as merely an evolutionary link from good mammals to greater artificial intelligence, one question remains, what’s our place in the post-Singularity world? Continue reading
September 1917. World War I has been ravaging Europe for three years when a 36-year old infantry medic by the name of Teilhard de Chardin takes part in the battle of Douaumont, France. There, knee-deep in the cold mud, exhausted from months spent on the battlefront, starved from weeks of short supplies, hundreds of thousands of men from both sides are waging the most epic and bloody battle of the Great War. 300,000 will lose their lives on this killing field over a matter of days, in a frenzy of deafening noise, blinding light and burning shrapnel. Continue reading
As an atheist, I have often run across theists (believers) who had misconceptions about atheism; some believe that it is a dogma, just like any other faith. Others believe it is nihilism or even satanism under a different name. Most are just genuinely confused as to why someone would willfully choose not to believe in any deity. After several such encounters, I decided to put together an FAQ to answer their very valid questions. Continue reading
Most people are concerned about getting older. They rightfully associate old age with the betrayal of the body, which gradually fails at supporting once vigorous physical and intellectual functions. These people usually wish they could slow down this bodily decay and remain young (or at least pretend to) just a tad bit longer. Hence the market for Botox, Corvette cars, and little blue pills.
As for me, well, I’m concerned about not growing old fast enough to keep up with my times. Continue reading