The Future
I've mentioned my interest in science fiction several times before. I'm primarily intrigued by the progress of humanity and how technology will revolutionize our civilization. Brian Holtz hypothesizes where and when we're going (my comments in italics):
A Future Timeline of Humanity and the Universe
A couple of the most exhilarating predictions:
2030: Radio astronomers have discovered signals from extraterrestrial intelligence. [This would imply these ET's have mastered wormholes. Otherwise, it would take millions of years for their message to reach us.]
2075: Physicists have reached limits of knowing why fundamental physical laws are as they are. [Are we that close to unified theory?]
2200: 1st artifactual life and artificial intelligence systems have been created and enfranchised. [So they're certifiably sentient and intelligent. Can pass Turing Test?]
2400: Extropian positivism replaces all other belief systems. [Basically, almost all traditional religion is replaced with naturalistic materialism.]
3000: Neurotechnologists have started to modify and augment natural human intelligence. [I'm shocked it will take this long. Possibly, he's only referring to augmenting intelligence on the quantum level, not the genetic.]; English is the native language of 90% of humans. [Does this imply almost entire racial miscegenation and uniformity?]
10,000: 1st terraforming (of Mars or a Jovian moon) has started to show progress. [This is where it starts getting exciting.]
100,000: A majority of persons descended from H. sapiens lives beyond Earth. [Incredible to even imagine.]; An object more than a kilometer wide will probably have struck Earth. [Asteroid or meteor impact is inevitable. A catastrophic impact could occur as early as 2039.]
1 Billion: Earth has information from probes to every stay system in the Milky Way. [Are we already inhabiting these systems anyway?]
2030: Radio astronomers have discovered signals from extraterrestrial intelligence. [This would imply these ET's have mastered wormholes. Otherwise, it would take millions of years for their message to reach us.]
2075: Physicists have reached limits of knowing why fundamental physical laws are as they are. [Are we that close to unified theory?]
2200: 1st artifactual life and artificial intelligence systems have been created and enfranchised. [So they're certifiably sentient and intelligent. Can pass Turing Test?]
2400: Extropian positivism replaces all other belief systems. [Basically, almost all traditional religion is replaced with naturalistic materialism.]
3000: Neurotechnologists have started to modify and augment natural human intelligence. [I'm shocked it will take this long. Possibly, he's only referring to augmenting intelligence on the quantum level, not the genetic.]; English is the native language of 90% of humans. [Does this imply almost entire racial miscegenation and uniformity?]
10,000: 1st terraforming (of Mars or a Jovian moon) has started to show progress. [This is where it starts getting exciting.]
100,000: A majority of persons descended from H. sapiens lives beyond Earth. [Incredible to even imagine.]; An object more than a kilometer wide will probably have struck Earth. [Asteroid or meteor impact is inevitable. A catastrophic impact could occur as early as 2039.]
1 Billion: Earth has information from probes to every stay system in the Milky Way. [Are we already inhabiting these systems anyway?]
2 comments:
It is amazing how our concept of the future actually helps to shape it. I am currently reading Wired for War which is about robotics in warfare. The author explains how those working on robots actually get a fair amount of inspiration from the sci fi they read as kids.
People routinely overestimate what will be achieved in the short term and underestimate what will be achieved in the long term.
Short term is 10 years or so, long term is around 100 years (three generations).
Of course, a few EMP weapons is likely to ruin everyone's day and change things. Moderate IQ and an ability to use weapons and survive in the rough will start to become heavily selected for.
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