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Why End Up Only a Memory?
by Paul Beach
What is the purpose of life? Nanotechnology may have an answer. Nanotechnology has raised questions, concerns, and fears in nearly everyone. Many concerns are regarding possible future contingencies that don’t necessarily need to be resolved at this time or even addressed. Some are material concerns, and I personally am optimistic that resolutions can be found for all. It’s great that we are alive to ponder such questions. Every person who has ever lived has contributed to the collective bank of knowledge; the world-wide meta-mind, if you will. As each passing generation increases the amount of accurate data the overall quality of life increases proportionately. Certain individuals throughout history have contributed greatly to the meta-mind, and we, the living, try to honor their memory, while enjoying the increase in quality of life. But those great individuals of history are now dead. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that they exist anywhere after death, and it is most likely that they are NOT benefiting from their own contributions to the meta-mind. As far as we know, there is nothing left of those great individuals to even care that our lives might be improved by their ideas; nothing left of them but our memories. We, too, are destined to become nothing more than a memory. You may contribute great knowledge to the meta-mind, but after your passing you will not reap the benefit. You won’t even be able to care that you have given your children a better, longer life. But now, for the first time in recorded history, we have theorized a viable method for extending life-spans radically, maybe even developing a form of youth-perpetuating biological immortality. For the purposes of illustration, let’s make some assumptions. First, let’s assume that a self-replicating protein assembler is possible, and that the world socio-political conditions necessary for its development come to pass. Second, let’s also assume that its makers also develop perfectly safe methods of containment, along with other failsafe measures to insure security. The immediate benefits are obvious with countless practical applications, and the increase in quality of life is stunning. Imagine complex equipment and buildings being fabricated by nano-machines at a fraction of the cost compared to previous methods, in a fraction of the time. Imagine nano-machines operating on the molecular level eradicating disease; healing broken bones, severed spinal cords, and re-growing lost limbs; repairing brain damage; engineering flawless cell reproduction, halting and reversing the aging process. Possibilities abound, but what is the limit? What might the ultimate outcome be? One possible outcome is so fantastic that it is the stuff of a sci-fi book, less the needless drama. Imagine that you already have a body full of nano-machines. These nano-machines get instructions from a complex computer capable of translating your rational, logical commands. Operating on the molecular level, they keep you young, perfectly healthy, and alive virtually indefinitely. You have total control over your body. You decide to issue the command to your nano-machines to convert every bit of your body into the more efficient nano-machines. You’re still you, the conscious individual that differentiates you from every other conscious individual, but now you can literally take on any form you desire. Now you are truly immortal; free to travel the universe and get all the answers to all of the questions you’ve ever had, with the rest of eternity to discover the secrets of the universe. Barring unforeseen catastrophe, something like this scenario will inevitably come to pass. The only question is will you live long enough to benefit from it? Be alive!
Copyright Paul Beach, 2005. All Rights Reserved |
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