On the Destiny of the Species: What Would Darwin Think 150 Years After 'The Origin of the Species'

On the Destiny of the Species What Would Darwin Think 150 Years After ‘The Origin of the Species’ Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D. TransVision07 Chicago, IL 2007-07-25 2300 GMT

Variation (Diversity) Is Key to Survival
“ Natural selection acts exclusively by the preservation and accumulation of variations, which are beneficial under the organic and inorganic conditions to which each creature is exposed at all periods of life. The ultimate result is that each creature tends to become more and more improved in relation to its conditions. This improvement inevitably leads to the gradual advancement of the organization of the greater number of living beings throughout the world.” -Charles Darwin

Darwin Was a Transpeciest
He saw nothing essential to any specific species
He believed all species emanated from, and evolved into, other species
He believed, expanding your species brought prosperity
He would most likely recognize the possibility of artificial life forms as a predictable part of natural selection.
http://www.paleoweb.net/pal-ges/bilder/evolution-poster.jpg

If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people. --- Old Chinese Proverb

Growing People
To grow people, you must first learn what they are made of
Evolutionary biologists view human consciousness as an enormously complex firmware sub-routine
That firmware is spelled out in 30,000 genes of DNA software
Although we are making strides, scientists have little knowledge of the genes that spell out the complex neurology of our brains

What We Do Know
A simple code or formula can produce complex patterns, for example
Weaving patterns
Chaos patterns
There is no other logical explanation for how brains are pre-wired for such an extensive array of behaviors

Terminology & Analogies Behavioral expressions like moving DNA-defined neural paths Learned ways to use neural paths Human Example Input/Output aspects such as display Logic circuits burned into chips Operating system; Applications Computer Example Hardware Firmware Software

Why Do We Have So Many DNA Codes if the Code is Just Suppose to Replicate Itself

Answers to the Key Question for Evolutionary Biologists
Nature frustrates its own programming, in order to evolve and promote survival
DNA molecules enable DNA to copy itself and create a host body, that produces more copies
Replication occasionally scrambles the code
Scrambled DNA is usually destroyed by molecules that digest useless DNA
Some scrambled DNA gives rise to new DNA codes and new host forms
In short, DNA does more than simply replicate itself, it replicates DNA coding, not only DNA codes

Scrambled DNA is the Catalyst for Evolution
If the scrambled DNA changes the host’s structure, new species may be born
http://www.artdiamondblog.com/images/FishMissingLinkFossilSmaller-thumb.jpg http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/elephants/about/evolution.php

To An Evolutionary Biologist, History Looks Like This
First there were nothing but gases
The gases collided for eons and eventually formed molecules from which later came DNA
DNA began reproduction and scrambling process
A purpose for life was created, its self-perpetuation, for that is what it does
Art by Andrew C. Stewart http://www.solarvoyager.com/images/art/New%20Earth%20by%20Andrew%20C%20Stewart.jpg

All About Self-Replicating Code and the Environment
First came RNA
Then DNA
DNA that permitted no “goof-ups,” became extinct as the environment that nurtured the original DNA turned hostile
The purpose of life is to replicate the replication process, of which RNA & DNA are just examples
http://www.nature.com/embor/journal/v7/n1/images/7400609-f1.jpg

Status Quo is Not an Option
“ But Natural Selection, we shall hereafter see, is a power incessantly ready for action…” - Charles Darwin

Where to Go From Here
At the end of eons of “goof-ups” sits Homo Sapiens Sapiens, but history has taught us that it shouldn’t stop there
Dangers await those who don’t evolve, such as:
Floods
Diseases
Global catastrophes
Another form of reproduction may be our best solution; BNA instead DNA

Beme Neural Architecture (BNA)
Bemes are the smallest units of beingness that comprise our sense of self
Elements of our Mannerisms, Personality, Recollections, Feelings, Beliefs, Attitudes, Values
What is BNA?
BNA is a to-be-determined set of mindware that enables our sense of self to be digitally realized from our bemes
Synthetic Consciousness; Synthetic Life

Mind Is Deeper Than Matter
The beme is mightier than the gene
We’re not our bodies; we are our minds
Genes are not essential for our minds
Our minds can be represented as bemes
BNA can operationalize our bemes
BNA can handle reproduction

DNA vs. BNA
Slow to reproduce
Limited survival in new environments
Susceptible to disease and limited lifespan
Rapid and unlimited reproduction
Various bodies to chose from, for survival in many environments
Unlimited lifespan
Beme Neural Architecture

Is BNA Reproduction Consistent With Nature’s Purpose
Nature’s “purpose” is to create self-replicating codes
Software reproduction is faster than wet biology, BNA is a more efficient way to replicate
Shifting from genes to bemes is consistent with what life has always done

My Avatar, My Self
Re-creation of the human mind in a digital world has already begun
Re-creation of the human “body” has already begun
The melding of your mind to your digital body is the next logical step
www.MyCyberTwin.com where a virtual version of you can conduct autonomous conversations
www.SecondLife.com where entire virtual communities are built

The Turing Test Was Just the Beginning
Ray Kurzweil points out that artificial intelligence is already all around us, in…
Our cars
Airplane gate systems
Computer guiding software
Video game opponents

Where Can We Place The Uploaded Consciousness
Video from Hanson Robotics in Richardson, TX
http://www.hansonrobotics.com

Can Or Should We Alter Our Code
There are those who believe we should not
They fear the results of translating life to a digital form
Darwin would not have been one to fear the endless possibilities

Humans Are Active Agents of Evolution
A new variety raised by man will be a far more important and interesting subject for study than one more species added to the infinitude of already recorded species. -Charles Darwin

Darwin Would Say ‘Yes’ To Improving Our Program
In his own words, it would be far more ‘important and interesting’ to see on which evolutionary path our high level of intelligence can take us.

Best Darwinian Reasons For and Against BNA Reproduction
FOR
It can greatly extend our reproductive lifetimes, thereby serving evolution’s prime directive
It can reduce the risk of consciousness extinction caused by a global catastrophe
AGAINST
We may inadvertently create “monster minds”
It may diminish our motivation for reproduction, thereby undermining diversity and proclivity

Why the Positives Outweigh the Negatives
Our society already has institutions designed to deal with DNA-based “monster minds”; the same could be translated to a “monster mind” BNA-based individual
Per evolutionary biology, the desire to reproduce ourselves is innate and we are unlikely to cease
Most astrobiologists and geologists agree that global catastrophes are inevitable
Therefore it is imperative to find ways to continue life
Digital life is easier to transport between stars
Digital life is easier to back-up redundantly

Cyber Sapiens ...We will no longer be Homo sapiens, but Cyber sapiens--a creature part digital and part biological that will have placed more distance between its DNA and the destinies they force upon us than any other animal ... a creature capable of steering our own evolution.... Chip Walter. Thumbs, Toes, and Tears, Walker & Co. 2006. Excerpted on KurzweilAI.net on October 25, 2006.

Becoming Transbeman
Uploading consciousness allows one to avoid unwanted death
Digital conscious beings can live longer and impart wisdom to unlimited generations
Multiple forms for conscious life
Virtual reality
Mechanical bodies
Regenerated flesh
According to evolutionary biology, this transbeman development should be highly favored by natural selection.
People who trans cend b iological & e lectronic hu man boundaries

Defy Death
The most compelling argument for BNA reproduction is defying death
Some accept death as inevitable and reason for its necessity
Claiming boredom with life
Drain on social resources
These are not relevant to a transbeman
Millennia-long life spans allow you to explore millions of books, musical instruments, the universe, whatever meets your fancy
Resources are more plentiful, because the new transbeman body would require less maintenance than a DNA-based life

Darwin on Varieties
We have also seen that it is the most flourishing or dominant species of the larger genera within each class which on an average yield the greatest number of varieties, and varieties, as we shall hereafter see, tend to become converted into new and distinct species. Thus the larger genera tend to become larger; and throughout nature the forms of life which are now dominant tend to become still more dominant by leaving many modified and dominant descendants. -- Charles Darwin

Darwin’s theory was developed without any known code, so he was unlikely to be hung up on DNA as the only code for life.
He would have likely agreed that because Beme Neural Architecture (BNA) codes could replicate and diversify, they would stand a good chance of thriving in a supportive environment.
Were he to accept Kurzweil’s Law of Accelerating Returns, he would have concluded that BNA-based life would dominate the destiny of the human species.

Expanding the Varieties of Homo Sapiens Sapiens
BNA-based life will encourage mind-expansion beyond the abilities of DNA-based life
Reproduction of the mind may allow the knowledge of each generation to be imparted immediately and then built upon
Life would no longer be limited to earth, therefore experiences would be endless

Beme-Based Life Forms Can Also Clone Their Consciousness
In addition to combining bemes with another for reproduction, you would be able to self-replicate
This would help avoid any catastrophe to one’s substrate
Each new version of you would still be a unique individual due to his/her experiences
Multiple versions would make it easier to release one of your conscious copies onto an interstellar spaceship
EveR-2 Muse, Humanoid Robot by KITEC (Korea Institute of Industrial Technology) in Seoul, Korea http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=882

Could Multiple Copies Destroy Autonomy? Artwork by: Kristina Abraham <http://www.kristinabraham.com/Straight%20Off%20the%20Assembly%20Line.jpg>

Autonomy
The quality or state of being independent, free, and self-directing  
Independence from the organism as a whole in the capacity of a part for growth, reactivity, or responsiveness
autonomy. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary . Retrieved July 5, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/autonomy

Autonomy Is Built Into the Process
Since bemes are personalized bytes of information based on the emotions, mindset and experiences of an individual, they create a highly unique consciousness
By definition, each conscious being would be autonomous
Individual beings
Individual experiences
Individual lives
Though related, just as DNA-based children are different than their parents, so would beme-based children, and clones

So What Would Darwin Think
It is promulgation of a self-replicating code that sits atop the apex of life’s purpose
DNA is a tool that enabled life to create a superior self-replicating code -- BNA
The BNA code will be capable of both nanotechnologically creating all that came before it and diversely transcending a universe of challenges of which DNA might not survive
So what would Darwin think…
That BNA is just another step in the evolution of life, with good odds for success
http://www.let.uu.nl/~Rosi.Braidotti/personal/teaching.htm

Adaptation is the Natural Progression
“… in short, we see beautiful adaptations everywhere and in every part of the organic world.”
- Charles Darwin
Cyberspace Nanotechnology + = Computronium = Ultimate Universal Adaptation

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On the Destiny of the Species: What Would Darwin Think 150 Years After 'The Origin of the Species'

by martine on Jul 23, 2007

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On the Destiny of the Species: What Would Darwin Think 150 Years After ’The Origin of the Species’ — Presentation Transcript