Thread: Where does the technologic progress end?

My identical question, where does technology become maxed out, and there is nothing left to discover. What would that be like, and what would be our main achievement as a species. Also where did we restrict ourselves? Did we travel trough wormholes, to other dimensions, or did we never make it out of our solar system?

Im not sure I understand the question. I dont think we can exhaust technical applications because we can always imagine something beyond what ever happens to be available.

What i mean is, when do we reach the apex of technological improvements, when have we maxed our knowlegde of the universe, and when does actual research stop.

I don't have trouble believing that today's technology will soon be obsolete, stuck on a museum shelf or discarded altogether some day. I think some technology could be limited as to what the human body can actually achieve. Like what's the sense in going smaller if you can't see it to use it. Necessity being the mother of invention will inspire new ways of doing things that may be far beyond our capabilities today but not unimaginable.

If there ever comes a time when we can't advance technology any further then I think our urge to explore will take over.

I think techonology will continue to evolve until we no longer need it. I think our own evolution will play a big part in our need for technology. If we develop mental abilities that allow us to form thoughts into matter then I'm sure at that point we certainly would have no need for technology.

Technology is just a substitute for the fact that our brains and bodies are not capable of doing what we want on their own.

Originally Posted by Chrisgorlitz

Technology is just a substitute for the fact that our brains and bodies are not capable of doing what we want on their own.

Really interesting. So the need for technology would end, if we can no longer think of anything that can make our life better.. But that was my point in knowing, how far would that take us.

Would we end up similar like this. Or wouldn't we be able to recognise our future race? Or like star trek?

Originally Posted by Zwolver

Originally Posted by Chrisgorlitz

Technology is just a substitute for the fact that our brains and bodies are not capable of doing what we want on their own.

Really interesting. So the need for technology would end, if we can no longer think of anything that can make our life better.. But that was my point in knowing, how far would that take us.

Would we end up similar like this. Or wouldn't we be able to recognise our future race? Or like star trek?

Well lets look at where we are at moment, we are beginning to push the boundries of what we can do on our planet, it's only a matter of time before we start to really venture out into space, also we are unlocking the secrets of our biology. In the future we should be able to use technology to enable us to travel in space, maybe even time with just the use of our bodies and minds. Eventually we will have no need for cars, houses or even spaceships we will evolve beyond that. Wether we do indeed evolve enough to get close to the point of becoming pure energy can only be speculated at. But one thing is certain the further we advance the less affected we are by the limitations of the physical universe and problems we may have had 200 years ago don't exist because we have already used our technology solve these limitations. Over the next few million years we should surely be able to advance beyond any limitations.

I would speculate that if you could have an ipad that only existed in your mind and could be called into use whenever required it your desireable to an actual physical ipad, it could never be lost or stolen. I think this principle will eventually apply to all technology, it will all become virtual and eventually won't even require the concept of technology our lives will be about bigger issues we will be beyond the physical.

If we were automatons there might be an end, but we have imagination and no goals, we will invent new crap to invent ad infinitum. When weve reach the apex, someone will raise his arms ceremonioulsly, we have finally achieve all that could be! Then someone will lean out from the door and say "Hey, I want genetically engineered clowns that grow from shia pets that land in bowl of citrous juice after being catapulted by an exact replica of a Louis the 5th seige engine! Do we have that?" Then the "grand meister of all that is all" will hit his forehead with palm and tear his technopapal robes and scream, but it still wont be over.

I would hate for everything to become virtual. I just like to have something... something more then software. Maybe in the future software IS the hardware. Can anyone comprehend that? I mean, programming, makes something real in this world. What kind of datastream would that require, and what could the use be?

You know, I was having a boring afternoon until I came upon this Thread. westwind.

The big problem with technological development is energy cost and waste heat. tom Murphy from Do the Math explains it much better than I could - http://physics.ucsd.edu/do-the-math/...ets-physicist/

Interesting piece of information. Thanks.

Right now technology is at the stage where, we think of an idea of something we want and would like to make. We then set about working out what components we would need and how to put them together.

How long before we have designed computers, that can take our ideas and work out exactly what components are required and make all the components and asemble complete finished products. I think we are already heading in that direction with advent of 3d printers.

Originally Posted by Zwolver

My identical question, where does technology become maxed out, and there is nothing left to discover. What would that be like, and what would be our main achievement as a species. Also where did we restrict ourselves? Did we travel trough wormholes, to other dimensions, or did we never make it out of our solar system?

I think one day humans will have the technology, to be able to detect the planets around us, that have oceans and atmospheres just like the Earths. I think they will then travel on space craft, powered by ion engines and/ or solar sails, and go to these planets. The journey will be very long 100's or 1000's of years. So these space craft will be more like a small city, rather than the space shuttle. Parts of the space craft will spin, to make artificial gravity. Its power source would be solar power, or some new kind of power system. Maybe they will raise insects like crickets to eat, since that is the (least) energy using food protein source. Perhaps they will eat algae they grow. They will catch small asteroids, to get the resources in them. They will have to reproduce artificially on the voyage, to avoid problems with inbreeding. They will carry huge amounts of human sperm and eggs, they will also carry food animals and crop plants DNA, and artificially make the animals and plants when they get to the planet.

Once they get to the new planet, they will populate the planet, and since they will have access, to all of humans technological data, they will be an advanced society real soon. They will soon, send out another space craft, to some other planet with oceans and an atmosphere. And we could populate much of the galaxy like this.



I think one day humans will create an atmosphere on Mars, by releasing certain gases there. And one day Mars will be just like Earth.
Then one day, there will be self sustaining outpost('s) on the moon.
I think there will be huge space station like object('s), that are like citys, all over our solar system, spinning to create gravity.

Perhaps we will have to find humans, who have the genetic defects, to be able to live in space. And then find the part of their DNA that gives them that ability, and then give everyone that DNA. Sexual reproduction may not exist at times, or at all. Unless you dont care if y our kid cant live in space.


People will live very, very, very long lives. Things like cancer will be a thing of the past, and we will fully understand the germs that kill us, so there will be no more medical problems.

I think maybe houses will have devices every were, that will read human brain waves, and we will be able to turn on lights, just by thinking about it. Solar and geothermal power, will give us all the power we need. And I believe all races will inter-breed, and we will all look like president Barack Obama. (just think about Stacy Dash.)

They might be able to find the genes, that make humans smarter than chimps. And then change that dna even further back,and make humans 10x smarter than they are now.

I have heard young forum members talk of their dreams, to have a formula/ equation that can do anything, and predict anything. And this could happen, and I believe in them.


And today there are labs that are trying to create the process, that happens in the sun, inside of a lab. One day we may be able to make a small star inside a box, and get vast amounts of power from it. And do incredible things with it.


Then I think one day humans will have huge space craft, that are a ecosystem (like a planet itself). They will be huge, and able to support human life, without the external resources of a planet. These space craft will not look for planets, because the space craft will be their home. They will make their own special metals to repair the ship, from simple gases and elements around them, (they will collect asteroids and take metals out of them.). And if the empty space between galaxies, contains the building blocks of their metals and needed gases, they could travel between galaxies forever.


If the universe does not collapse, and matter would last forever, then humans could last forever.


But with all this time, there would be genetic drift, and mutations in our genes. But all human groups, will have billions of human eggs and sperm, so we will be able to somewhat control our evolution.






But all of this may never happen because of ourselves. The human future could be like the movies "Mad Max" and "Water World."

I think a good question to ask is, will human societies allow the above dreams to happen?



The dreams listed above, can only happen by the actions of intelligent scientists, liberals, and those on the left. In a liberal future world, (it would be like Star Trek the next generation.) There is no money, and no one is un-happy or poor. People would not spend their lives chasing money, slaves to capitalism. Instead they would help the dreams above to happen. They would spend their lives in freedom, the pursuit of technology, and a greater understanding of the universe, and what lies beyond it.


But there is a good chance the conservatives, republicans, and those on the right, will take humans into a world like "Mad Max" and "Water World."

The conservatives want capitalism, and they want to serve the rich. It does not matter to them if people are unhappy, or if children are hungry, or even when their friends and own family members die from not having health insurance ex. ex. ex. ex.. All they want is for rich people, to have lower tax rates than the poor. (Trickle-down economics), thats all that really matters to them.


Many of us have grand dreams for the future, but as we speak, we are heading to "Mad Max" and "Water World"


We are over populating this planet, at this very moment (and there is no real plan to stop it)
and at the same time, we are using up our fresh water reserves, that America waters its crops with (and there is no real plan to stop it)

Biological weapons will soon be available to many Arab's (and there are no plans to stop it)
China is building its military, and all 1,328,020,000 of them, like crude oil and fresh water, and they have guns and battle ships.

And at this moment doctors are over prescribing antibiotics, creating super germs that cant be killed (and there is no plan to stop it)
and some time in the near future a super, super, super deadly germ will come around (but there is no plan to stop it)

And at the same time, we are letting out huge amounts of carbon, and terraforming Earth
sea levels will rise and take peoples homes, and farm land
climates will change and plants wont grow
deep ocean currents could stop, and huge weather changes will happen (and the US republicans are fighting, to (not) stop it)

Deficits and debt destroy governments (but conservatives, do not know how deficits happen, so it cant be stopped)
after governments would be gone, its like the old American wild west (or)
the conservatives rush to serve the rich, and its like old Europe again, in the time of kings
some "warrior" kings order their followers to war, and then every one is fighting (just like in Arab countries today)
its world war III, when China runs out of fresh water or crude oil (and no one can stop it)
some Arab idiot's, let out a biological weapon, that kills almost every one on Earth (and theres no plan to stop it)

Another man like Adolf Hitler comes around, and the conservatives make him their leader (and the new Hitler has lots of nuclear weapons.)

ex. ex. ex. ex.
ex. ex. ex. ex. (X100.)



The future could be a lot, like I first described it above, or the conservatives could lead every one to ruin.

Liberals have ideas, to solve, all of the problems above, with intelligence and reasoning.

But the conservatives want to let out more carbon, and attack the Arab countries. The fact of global warming, and Arabs having biological weapons in the near future, means nothing to them. None of the problems above, mean anything to the conservatives. Conseratives just want to imitate their leaders, and give tax cuts to rich people.

America has already fallen to corporate control, and the USA conservatives love it, and they want it.


Will Mars look like Earth someday?

I think its up to the socialist governments of Europe, and smart and caring governments in places like India, and new smart governments in Asian countries, and South America ex. ex., and that Emmanuel Jal like spirit, of Africa's people.


America has already fallen to corporate control, and if the rest of the world follows us, its "Mad Max" and "Water World"
But I really hope the conservatives loose their fight, and one day Mars, will look just like Earth.

Why does technology have to be about bigger and better toys for boys?

I'm much more interested in stuff like this story. Catalyst: Exoskeleton - ABC TV Science Another 10 or 30 years' development along these lines and we'll be able to deal with permanent paralysis with lightweight, user-friendly gizmos. And somewhere in that timeframe or a few decades more, someone will come up with biological repair processes for brain and spine injuries that will reduce the need for these things in the first place.

And the prospects for paints and other coatings for buildings that can generate power to run that building and some to spare for the grid I find really, truly exciting. If we get really clever, we could also have similar coatings for vehicles like, say, electric buses that will allow them to extend their range from only that permitted by a full battery charge when stationary. They could be topping up the charge while they're in use.

I suppose I'm more interested in technology that's just plain clever, rather than big, shiny and powerful.

Matter/Energy Conversion and transmission. When we break that barrier everything is possible. Wonder what the planet X42 is like? Beam a probe to it then beam it back. Need to go to switzerland to check that account? We can have you there in a minute from anywhere in the world.

You know, I think that our research into technology will end well before our capacity. At some point, I think we'll find that the moral implications of continuing outweigh the benefits. eg: Human Cloning, Teleportation, Memory to Data Transmission, etc.

Originally Posted by ClaimingLight

You know, I think that our research into technology will end well before our capacity. At some point, I think we'll find that the moral implications of continuing outweigh the benefits. eg: Human Cloning, Teleportation, Memory to Data Transmission, etc.

I am not certain that moral implications justify not doing research in the fields you mention. Research into human cloning could allow us to create genetically perfect organs for those who need transplants for example. Is this morally wrong?

Originally Posted by dmwyant

Originally Posted by ClaimingLight

You know, I think that our research into technology will end well before our capacity. At some point, I think we'll find that the moral implications of continuing outweigh the benefits. eg: Human Cloning, Teleportation, Memory to Data Transmission, etc.

I am not certain that moral implications justify not doing research in the fields you mention. Research into human cloning could allow us to create genetically perfect organs for those who need transplants for example. Is this morally wrong?

When it comes to cloning a liver, I don't see any moral issues. I was referring to a more sci-fi oriented situation like where ctrl-c and ctrl-v's you. Does he have a soul? Do I? etc etc