What role will psychoactive substances play (if any) in the Singularity?
One possible scenario of the coming Singularity involves the use of biotechnology, genetic engineering, cybernetics and nanotechnology to improve the human condition, enhance cognitive ability and augment intelligence. For centuries ancient cultures have used entheogens (psychoactive substances) to alter perceptions, stimulate creativity and gain greater insights into the human mind. If these substances can be used to effectively treat diseases like alcoholism, what role will they play (if any) in the Singularity? “
Read more: http://ebongeek.com/2011/04/21/can-lysergic-acid-diethylamide-cure-alcoholism/
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Total Comments: (13)
Date Started: April 26, 2011 - 8:14 am
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Comments
These substances are derived mostly from forms and matter known to most as food , herbs or spices and is so widely dominated in food heftily consumed daily and media drowning us already that world is riding on a ” TRIP ” to be / become someone or something that is not themselves , the extremity of identity crisis buy such large masses , the weird urge and desire of the beautiful to be ugly , the wanted to be rejected and the rejected to be wanted , the ugly to become beautiful , the good desiring evil and the evil desiring the good . With social disaster and the increase and spreading of useless customs and greedy self interest with inconsideration and intolerance of the interest of others , will or can drugs actually make a difference to improve the scope and relieve the diseases of time , cure loneliness and comfort hunger , replace the need to care and be cared for , the urge to be useful/used/needed/wanted/abused and the rebound to give/deliver/receive/conceive and more than anything else to have faith in oneself.
In a society that is so lacking in value and esteem , where people is like billboards communication is nullified and senseless , where would the sense to control a substance that controls oneself derive from , or would that be generated in another drug , add a memory pill to remind them to take the next pill , do not overdose pill ,a bottle of lethal if used with alcohol aperitif , a to be taken with directions main line injection and the pain will be gone when you come around dildo as a deal closer with the small print declining liability should you highly likely not come round but stay flat and stiff.
Drugs is drugs and we are force fed with it daily in so many ways that it is already causing all sorts , there is no justification , just greed.
Psychoactive substances are some of the most useful tools we have for preparing ourselves for the singularity. The singularity really is all about our consciousness, our sense of who we are, and psychedelics allow people to examine themselves and the world from a different perspective. the experience of LSD or other psychedelics makes it obvious why these substances are important for the singularity as well. For more on the specific relationship of psychedelics and the singularity:
http://psychesingularity.wordpress.com/psychedelics/
It may help us to calm the living brain dead , or keep the zombies at peace.
Nootropics like D-Cycloserine, vassopressin, racetams, and other yummy things are already enhancing intelligence. Hell, even coffee has served a dramatic role in the technological evolution of humans. Like coffee, I imagine these drugs will be taken without stigma or note. You are free to take vitamins which enhance cognition, or even energy drinks.
If we embrace the computational model of the brain, it is simply a matter of providing the organ with the optimum chemistry to operate at full capacity; like eating a banana to think straight. One must have all the serotonin, dopamine, and glucose needed. So why not a little something to allow for efficient memory retrieval, or boost plasticity for memory imprinting?
If by psychoactive you mean tripping balls, that will always have its role in human consciousness and culture. Personally, I’d like to see images of my brain before and after to avoid/repair damage from such adventures. First prize goes to whoever makes an app for that.
Well, they may simply be useful in manipulating our brain chemistry as we see fit. If we can accurately predict their effects, which in the event of a singularity this will be doubtless, and eliminate their destructive effects, then they will be commonly used.
I think it is more likely however that we will simply have direct control over brain chemistry without the use of our modern subtances, and we can replicate the effects as we please, simply by manipulating sensory input.
I believe any roles they may play will strictly be recreational. If we’re talking about the “true” singularity, by then we should have the capability to manipulate the human genome as to eliminate chemical and hormonal imbalances through technological enhancements or gene-doping, rendering psycho-actives unnecessary to the general “technologically evolved” public.
That would leave recreational use which may or may not even apply at that point in time. As our technology inevitably enters into brain/mind territory, either we erase the need to use and experiment with drugs (or in this case software?) or the counterculture just develops new ways to alter perception (get effed up) through the use of chemicals/substance and/or software.
Given the trend of our generation and those before it to abuse substances for purely recreational purposes will, I wouldn’t be surprised if it continued, legal or not.
Substances like Ayahuasca and DMT can literally evolve a persons mental state to the next level, if they are used properly and by a person who is braced to use them.
The club drugs might be fun to some, but the real introspection and personal growth come from a deconstruction of the ego and the development of mental tranquility.
I think a person should be allowed to reach this on their own before we go filling their heads with the combined total of all human knowledge and the processing capability to correctly answer nearly any question – because raw knowledge without perspective and experience is usually dangerous.
We also don’t let average Joe’s join the NFL, fight in the UFC, or perform surgery. When we’re talking about supercharging someones mental acumen, we might want to consider if they are prepared to use these tools effectively, and if we are robbing them of a time to enjoy experiences that are only available to an organism in it’s undeveloped state. If I were omnipotent from day one, I might be considered by all of humanity to be a total jerk. People should be allowed a sandbox to make mistakes and correct personal flaws before we magnify their scale one million times.
I think something like a technology enabled psychokinesis Would give use a far grater control then psychoactive drugs and maybe without any of the side effects as well and you choose how long,how intense and of what experience extra.
People already use drugs to alter their mental state illegally all the time. For the treatment of depression and other brain dysfunctions we also use drugs quite often. Clearly this is just the beginning of a trend that has a long way to go. Drugs to improve concentration, memory retention, and so on already exist or appear to be on the horizon, depending on what research you choose to believe. In other words, drug based modification of our brains is already commonplace, and in the future these drugs will continue to represent one of the many options we have to change who we are and what we can do.
Learning and nutrition are much more reliably positive ways to change who we are and what we can do.
As of right now I agree with you. Perhaps you should read the topic under discussion.
One can only start to change when one gets to the base of ones empowerment to change .
The greatest changes is the same as most of the greatest things , its great because we conceived it and nurtured it , in other words , it is a internal process . What one believes is by ones choice . If we need drugs to believe , we believe in drugs , not what we believe when under the influence of drugs.
Some psychoactive drugs have been used by shamans to alter their perspective. Once we cross the barrier into direct interfacing with a computer, such things would be considered as a malfunction. This is sad, as most people could really benefit from an attitude change.
For most modern folks, drugs are just entertainment. We will not need that, as experiences become more real, as 3D and surround sound are superceded by equipment that stimulates every sense.
At the same time, science will introduce us to compounds that can do amazing things to our minds. Perhaps some drug will be so good that it changes the entire direction of the human race.