Saturday, July 26, 2008

Humans and Machines Will Merge in the Future

By Lara Farrar


Source: CNN

A group of experts from around the world will hold a first of its kind conference Thursday on global catastrophic risks.

They will discuss what should be done to prevent these risks from becoming realities that could lead to the end of human life on Earth as we know it.

Speakers at the four-day event at Oxford University in Britain will talk about topics including nuclear terrorism and what to do if a large asteroid were to be on a collision course with our planet.

On the final day of the Global Catastrophic Risk Conference, experts will focus on what could be the unintended consequences of new technologies, such as superintelligent machines that, if ill-conceived, might cause the demise of Homo sapiens.

"Any entity which is radically smarter than human beings would also be very powerful," said Dr. Nick Bostrom, director of Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute, host of the symposium. "If we get something wrong, you could imagine the consequences would involve the extinction of the human species."

Bostrom is a philosopher and a leading thinker of transhumanism, a movement that advocates not only the study of the potential threats and promises that future technologies could pose to human life but also the ways in which emergent technologies could be used to make the very act of living better.

"We want to preserve the best of what it is to be human and maybe even amplify that," Bostrom said.

Transhumanists, according to Bostrom, anticipate an era in which biotechnology, molecular nanotechnologies, artificial intelligence and other new types of cognitive tools will be used to amplify our intellectual capacity, improve our physical capabilities and even enhance our emotional well-being.

The end result would be a new form of "posthuman" life with beings that possess qualities and skills so exceedingly advanced they no longer can be classified simply as humans.

"We will begin to use science and technology not just to manage the world around us but to manage our own human biology as well," Bostrom said. "The changes will be faster and more profound than the very, very slow changes that would occur over tens of thousands of years as a result of natural selection and biological evolution."

Bostrom declined to predict an exact time frame when this revolutionary biotechnological metamorphosis might occur. "Maybe it will take eight years or 200 years," he said. "It is very hard to predict."

Other experts are already getting ready for what they say could be a radical transformation of the human race in as little as two decades.

"This will happen faster than people realize," said Dr. Ray Kurzweil, an inventor and futurist who calculates technology trends using what he calls the law of accelerating returns, a mathematical concept that measures the exponential growth of technological evolution.

In the 1980s, Kurzweil predicted that a tiny handheld device would be invented early in the 21st century, allowing blind people to read documents from anywhere at anytime; this year, such a device was publicly unveiled. He also anticipated the explosive growth of the Internet in the 1990s.

Now, Kurzweil is predicting the arrival of something called the Singularity, which he defines in his book on the subject as "the culmination of the merger of our biological thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world that is still human but that transcends our biological roots."

"There will be no distinction, post-Singularity, between human and machine or between physical and virtual reality," he writes.

Singularity will approach at an accelerating rate as human-created technologies become exponentially smaller and increasingly powerful and as fields such as biology and medicine are understood more and more in terms of information processes that can be simulated with computers.

By the 2030s, Kurzweil said, humans will become more non-biological than biological, capable of uploading our minds onto the Internet, living in various virtual worlds and even avoiding aging and evading death.

In the 2040s, Kurzweil predicts that non-biological intelligence will be billions of times better than the biological intelligence humans have today, possibly rendering our present brains obsolete.

"Our brains are a million times slower than electronics," Kurzweil said. "We will increasingly become software entities if you go out enough decades."

This movement towards the merger of man and machine, according to Kurzweil, is already starting to happen and is most visible in the field of biotechnology.

As scientists gain deeper insights into the genetic processes that underlie life, they are able to effectively reprogram human biology through the development of new forms of gene therapies and medications capable of turning on or off enzymes and RNA interference, or gene silencing.

"Biology and health and medicine used to be hit or miss," Kurzweil sad. "It wasn't based on any coherent theory about how it works."

The emerging biotechnology revolution will lead to at least a thousand new drugs that could do anything from slow down the process of aging to reverse the onset of diseases, like heart disease and cancer, Kurzweil said.

By 2020, Kurzweil predicts a second revolution in the area of nanotechnology. According to his calculations, it is already showing signs of exponential growth as scientists begin to test first generation nanobots that can cure Type 1 diabetes in rats or heal spinal cord injuries in mice.

One scientist is developing something called a respirocyte, a robotic red blood cell that, if injected into the bloodstream, would allow humans to do an Olympic sprint for 15 minutes without taking a breath or sit at the bottom of a swimming pool for hours at a time.

Other researchers are developing nanoparticles that can locate tumors and one day even eradicate them.

And some Parkinson's patients now have pea-sized computers implanted in their brains that replace neurons destroyed by the disease; new software can be downloaded to the mini computers from outside the human body.

"Nanotechnology will not just be used to reprogram but to transcend biology and go beyond its limitations by merging with non-biological systems," Kurzweil said. "If we rebuild biological systems with nanotechnology, we can go beyond its limits."
The final revolution leading to the advent of Singularity will be the creation of artificial intelligence, or superintelligence, which, according to Kurzweil, could be capable of solving many of our biggest threats, like environmental destruction, poverty and disease.

"A more intelligent process will inherently outcompete one that is less intelligent, making intelligence the most powerful force in the universe," Kurzweil writes.
Yet the invention of so many high-powered technologies and the possibility of merging these new technologies with humans may pose both peril and promise for the future of mankind.

"I think there are grave dangers," Kurzweil said. "Technology has always been a double-edged sword."

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

चन्द्रे हुँ म चन्द्रे


विमल भौकाजी



सधैँको झै आजको रात पनि- निस्पट्ट अन्धकारबीच मेरा आँखाहरू खुल्दा नेपथ्यमा कोही चिच्याइरहेको आवाज मेरा कानमा पर्नेछ यो वाक्यलाई स्पष्टसाग अथ्र्याउनु पर्दा, अन्धकारको त्यो आवाजले मेरो निद्रा भङ्ग गर्नेछ

'चन्द्रे हुा चन्द्रे !......' आवाज प्रस्ट बुझिनेछ

चचच

चन्द्रे !

मान्छेहरूका दृष्टिमा चन्द्रे एउटा बहुला थियो तर आफूले पाएको यो पहिचानलाई चन्दे्रले कहिले पनि विरोध नजनाएको देख्दा सामान्यतः सबैलाई आश्चर्य लाग्नु स्वाभाविक थियो हुन पनि चन्द्रे चिच्याई चिच्याइकन भन्ने गथ्र्यो- "हो-हो बहुला हुँ किनकि..... चन्द्रे हुँ "

उसको नाम चन्द्रे हुादैमा किन बहुला ?

प्रश्न जायज तर पाठकका लागि त्यसको जवाफ भने निक्कै रोमाञ्चक

यो रोमाञ्चकता महसुस गर्नका लागि सर्वप्रथम चन्द्रेको इतिहास हेर्न आवश्यक

चन्द्रे !

- को हो चन्द्रे ?

- चन्द्रे कुन जातको हो ?

- कुन धर्मको हो ?

चन्द्रे जोसुकै हुन सक्छ चन्द्रे, चन्द्रे मात्रै होइन चन्द्रकुमार हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रप्रसाद हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रबहादुर हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रलाल हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रमान हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रसिं हुन सक्छ त्यति मात्रै होइन, त्यस पछाडि पनि चन्द्रे चन्द्रे शर्मा हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रे क्षेत्री हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रे श्रेष्ठ हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रे विश्वकर्मा हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रे यादव हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रे गुरुङ हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रे लिम्बू हुन सक्छ, चन्द्रे मगर हुन सक्छ

तर चन्द्रेले ˆनो नामसाग कहिल्यै कुनै उपनाम जोड्यो, आफूलाई कुनै जात धर्ममा सङकुचित गरायो खुल्लारूपमा, सामाजिक विभेदका विरुद्ध चन्द्रेले विद्रोह गर्यो बस् ˆनो एउटै परिचय स्थापना गर्यो- 'चन्द्रे'

चन्द्रेको व्यक्तित्व-

चन्द्रे शिक्षक थियो, विद्यालयस्तरको यद्यपि एउटा सामान्य शिक्षकको रूपमा मात्रै उसको पेशा परिभाषित थिएन मर्यादित थियो उसको पेशा, उसलाई सबैले एउटा आदर्श शिक्षकको रूपमा चिन्दथे खास गरेर तीनवटा आदर्श थिए उसका -

- नैतिकता- पाठ घोकाइरहन्थ्यो नैतिकताको

- इमानदारी- गीत गाइरहन्थ्यो इमानदारीको

- कर्तव्यनिष्ठ- बोली बोलिरहन्थ्यो कर्तव्यनिष्ठताको

उसो राजनीतिको बाङ्गो बाटोबाट उसको आदर्शलाई खल्बल्याउने कोसिस कैयौ पटक नगरिएको होइन तर अहा, ˆनो आदर्शबाट रत्तिभर विचलित भएन, एक नासले ˆनो मार्गबाट हिाडिरहृयो

विदेश गएर धन कमाउन देखाइएका थुप्रै सपनाका महलहरूलाई उसले भत्काइदिएको थियो गाउामै निजी विद्यालय खोलेर शिक्षाको व्यापार गर्न बनाइएका थुप्रै योजनाहरूलाई उसले च्यातिदिएको थियो समग्रमा, चन्द्रे देशको एक सच्चा नागरिक भएर बाचेको थियो

चन्द्रेको पारिवारिक स्थिति-

सानो परिवार थियो चन्द्रेको चन्द्रे मनमनै सधैा आफैासाग भन्ने गथ्र्यो- मेरो परिवार संसारको सबैभन्दा सुखी परिवार हो

चन्द्रेकी एउटी सुन्दर श्रीमती थिइन् ˆनी श्रीमतीको अनुहार हेरेर कताकता चन्द्रे कहिलेकाही पात्तिन्थ्यो, श्लीलरूपमा उसको त्यो क्षणले उसलाई उक्साउादै भन्न लगाउाथ्यो- यत्ति राम्री नारी अर्को कोही हुन सक्दिन यो दुनिया मा, हुनै सक्दिन

तर........ झण्डै दुई दशक लामो अत्यन्तै सफल दाम्पत्य जीवनलाई अचानक परित्याग गरिन् उसकी श्रीमतीले हो, मरिन् उसकी श्रीमती

- कसरी मरिन् ?

- भोकले मरिन् कि ?

- कुनै दुर्घटनामा परेर मरिन् कि ?

- किन मरिन् ?

- केका लागि मरिन् ?

- कसैले सोध्यो भने चन्द्रे केवल यत्ति भन्थ्यो- 'मरिन्, मेरी स्वास्नी मरिन्, सा च्चै मरिन् '

वास्तवमा लाक्षणिक अर्थमा मात्रै उसकी श्रीमती मरेकी थिइन् तर भौतिकरूपले मरेकी थिइनन् उनी

चन्द्रेलाई एउटै ओछ्यानमा सुतेको छोडेर रातारात गाउाकै अर्को एक लोग्ने मान्छेका साथ भागेकी थिइन् उसकी श्रीमती

बुझ्नसकेको थिएन चन्द्रेले- कि अनायास उसलाई छोडेर भागिन् उसकी श्रीमती ? कुन कारण थियो त्यस्तो- जसबाट उसकी श्रीमतीले अर्को लाग्नेमान्छेलाई रोज्नुपर्यो ? सोच्नै सकेको थिएन चन्द्रेले

अलिकति पनि असमझदारी थिएन चन्द्रेको ˆनी श्रीमतीसाग अचानक यसरी आफूलाई छाड्नुपर्ने कुनै सङ्केतसम्म दिएकी थिइनन् उसलाई उसकी श्रीमतीले हुन पनि चन्द्रेले सदैव अनुभूत गरिरहेकै हुन्थ्यो- उसलाई ˆनो प्रेमबाट उसकी श्रीमतीले कहिल्यै विमुख राखेकी थिइन उसले पनि कहिल्यै कम हुन दिएको थिएन ˆनी श्रीमतीप्रतिको प्रेमलाई- जुन प्रेममा प्रायसः शरीर पनि प्रासङ्गकि हुने गथ्र्यो सायद, दुवैले सोच्ने गर्थे- शरीर प्रासङ्गकि नभएको प्रेम के प्रेम ?

आफ्नी श्रीमतीको अभावमा चन्द्रे साह्रै विक्षिप्त बन्यो जब ˆनो पि्रय मान्छे आफूसाग छैन भने यो संसारको के अर्थ ? जत्ति गरे पनि मर्नु बा च्नुको परिस्थितिप्रति उसले सम्झौता गर्न नसकेपछि आत्महत्या गर्न नखोजेको पनि होइन तर फेरि उसले त्यसो गर्न पनि सकेन सट्टामा यही विक्षिप्त विवश रूप बोकेर बदलिादो परिचयमा बा च्यो अर्थात् चन्द्रे बहुलायो

यही अवस्थाबीच उसको ठूलो भइसकेको छोरो पनि उसलाई छोडेर ˆना साथीहरूका साथ घर छोडेर सहर पस्यो

विक्षिप्त बाबुको हालतप्रति करुणा जाग्नुपर्ने कर्तव्यबाट च्युत छोरोको यस्तो व्यवहार खेपेर चन्द्रे झनै मर्माहत भयो बेस्कन रन्थनियो हो, चन्द्रे बहुलाउनुको यो पनि अर्को मुख्य कारकतì थियो

त्यति मात्रै होइन उसको जीवनको परिचय बदल्ने अर्को प्रमुख कारण थियो उसकी छोरी छोरोपछि जन्मिएकी दुई वर्ष कान्छी उसकी छोरी चन्द्रेले ˆनी श्रीमतीसागको आपसी सम्झौतामा सानो सुखी परिवारको अन्तिम बिन्दु मानेको थियो ˆनी छोरीलाई

त्यही छोरी एक्लै भएको समयमा घरमा बलात्कृत भई त्यतिखेर विद्यालयको एउटा कक्षामा नारी उन्मुक्तिको पाठ पढाउादै थियो चन्द्रे

यस्तो अप्रत्याशित खबरले चन्द्रे एउटा निर्जीव मुढोझैा बन्यो

उफ्, के भयो यस्तो ?

चन्द्रेले ˆनो विगत सम्झ्यो, ˆनो आदर्शमय जीवनलाई हेर्यो कुनै भेउ पाउन सकेन उसले- कसरी भताभुङ्ग भयो जीवन ?

- चन्द्रेले ˆनो नाक छाम्यो

- आाखाहरू छाम्यो

- निधार छाम्यो

- कानहरू छाम्यो

- एकसाथ, सम्पूर्ण अनुहार छाम्यो

सबै अङ्गहरू साविक स्थानमा थिए तर उसलाई महसुस भयो कुनै पनि अङ्गहरू उसका ˆना होइनन् मानौ स्वयम् होइन, नाम मात्रैको चन्द्रे हो, लाग्यो- उसको परिचय बदलिइसकेको

एकएक तौलादै गयो चन्द्रेले ˆनो जीवनका दुर्घटित क्षणहरू.....

- नाप्नै नसक्ने गरेर कस्तरी अनैतिकताले सीमा तोड्यो ?

- भन्नै नसक्ने गरेर बेइमानीले कस्तो मार्ग रोज्यो ?

- पहिल्याउनै नसक्ने गरेर कर्तव्यहीनताले कति अग्लो शिखर उक्लियो ?

चचच

.........आजको निस्पट्ट रातमा पनि अचानक झस्केर ब्युँझनेछु त्यसरी ब्यूाझदा मैले एउटा कहालीलाग्दो आवाज सुन्नेछु- 'हो........हो बहुला हुा '

त्यो आवाजको मान्छे ˆनो परिचय दिइरहेको हो वा ˆनो स्वपरिचय खोजिरहेको हो....... छुट्याउनै नसक्ने गरेर चिच्याइरहेको हुनेछ- 'चन्द्रे हुा चन्द्रे........! !'

-नयावानेश्वर, काठमाडौ