Racheal's Reading

The Singularity is Near - When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil

I am asking that you read Chapter 7: Ich bin ein Singularitarian and/or watch this video

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/motherboard/the-singularity-of-ray-kurzweil#

Would you like to be able to live as long as you wanted? If so, approximately how long do you think you would want to live? If not, what would be your preferred method of death?

- -To live as long as I wanted would be great, but it would have to be under different circumstances. I would not want to live forever in today’s world because there are so many issues that I believe are beyond us that we as humans could never solve the world problems. So, if I had to die I think it would be one of two ways that I would prefer to go in my sleep peacefully and painless or die while doing something that is adventurous and adrenaline rush running through me at the moment of death.

Do you think that it will be possible for machines to have consciousness in the future? Is there a fundamental difference between humans and machines that will always remain?

- - A machine to have a consciousness in the future… I can’t say that it will come, at least not in my lifetime. I do believe there will always be a line with being human and machines.

What do you think about Kurzweil's predictions? Do you think he is valid, totally crazy, or somewhere in between?

- - I think it is a nice dream but I am not sure it can ever be reality. Scientist though will always try to grow towards this and will get close to it I believe but I think it will always be just in theory.

Do you think it is important for humans to continue on a quest for more intelligent and faster technology?

- - I don’t know. I know technology has been a great help to mankind but at the same time it has been destructive as well. So maybe we need to just be mindful of this all.

Do you think it is important for you to understand and communicate with machines/technology/tools in order to make art?

- - I have realized it is very important to understand and embrace the present and I live in a world of machines and constantly faced with new technological growth that is part of my everyday world so I find it very important to know where you are in time and what is available.

Keeping the old and embracing the new mediums in arts is highly beneficial.

Do you see any connection between this reading and the things that I make?

- - The things (instruments) that you have been creating is very much connected to this idea of the next step for technology and I believe you and a large group of people are a part of this growth and question and pushing technology further to what singularity is all about. You have been creating instruments and turning yourself into one also in the process/ you are becoming that very “machine”.

Do you think it is important to think about the future, and to make predictions about technology? Do you think that artwork relating to this subject will affect the possible outcome of the future?

- - Yes! Art is a big catalyst for changing paradigms so why not the way technology is run and where it can go, art can have a big role in this movement.

Is this subject at all interesting to you?

- - Yes. I rather just discuss these subjects in person though, because these are the conversations that move things forward and writing seems so linear in a way to this subject. This is active and should be conversed in a group setting where it can be more effective.