A Blog by Jonathan Low

 

Dec 29, 2018

Educating the Wise Cyborgs Of the Future

The intellectual and moral learning machines and algorithms do will be as or more powerful than their technological advancement. JL

Raya Bidshahri reports in Singularity Hub:

In future-themed discussions we focus on technological progress more than on intellectual and moral advancements. (But) the virtuous insights future humans possess will be more powerful than their technological tools.Many of the challenges today boil down to out-dated ways of thinking, be they regressive mindsets, superficial value systems, or egocentric mindsets. The development of wisdom would immunize future societies against such debilitating values. We use tools like machine learning to enhance our cognitive skills. Such is how technology allows us to push beyond our biological limitations. In other words, you are already a cyborg.
When we think of wisdom, we often think of ancient philosophers, mystics, or spiritual leaders. Wisdom is associated with the past. Yet some intellectual leaders are challenging us to reconsider wisdom in the context of the technological evolution of the future.
With the rise of exponential technologies like virtual reality, big data, artificial intelligence, and robotics, people are gaining access to increasingly powerful tools. These tools are neither malevolent nor benevolent on their own; human values and decision-making influence how they are used.
In future-themed discussions we often focus on technological progress far more than on intellectual and moral advancements. In reality, the virtuous insights that future humans possess will be even more powerful than their technological tools.
Tom Lombardo and Ray Todd Blackwood are advocating for exactly this. In their interdisciplinary paper “Educating the Wise Cyborg of the Future,” they propose a new definition of wisdom—one that is relevant in the context of the future of humanity.

We Are Already Cyborgs

The core purpose of Lombardo and Blackwood’s paper is to explore revolutionary educational models that will prepare humans, soon-to-be-cyborgs, for the future. The idea of educating such “cyborgs” may sound like science fiction, but if you pay attention to yourself and the world around you, cyborgs came into being a long time ago.
Techno-philosophers like Jason Silva point out that our tech devices are an abstract form of brain-machine interfaces. We use smartphones to store and retrieve information, perform calculations, and communicate with each other. Our devices are an extension of our minds.
According to philosophers Andy Clark and David Chalmers’ theory of the extended mind, we use this technology to expand the boundaries of our minds. We use tools like machine learning to enhance our cognitive skills or powerful telescopes to enhance our visual reach. Such is how technology has become a part of our exoskeletons, allowing us to push beyond our biological limitations.
In other words, you are already a cyborg. You have been all along.
Such an abstract definition of cyborgs is both relevant and thought-provoking. But it won’t stay abstract for much longer. The past few years have seen remarkable developments in both the hardware and software of brain-machine interfaces. Experts are designing more intricate electrodes while programming better algorithms to interpret the neural signals. Scientists have already succeeded in enabling paralyzed patients to type with their minds, and are even allowing people to communicate purely through brainwaves. Technologists like Ray Kurzweil believe that by 2030 we will connect the neocortex of our brains to the cloud via nanobots.
Given these trends, humans will continue to be increasingly cyborg-like. Our future schools may not necessarily educate people as we are today, but rather will be educating a new species of human-machine hybrid.

Wisdom-Based Education

Whether you take an abstract or literal definition of a cyborg, we need to completely revamp our educational models. Even if you don’t buy into the scenario where humans integrate powerful brain-machine interfaces into our minds, there is still a desperate need for wisdom-based education to equip current generations to tackle 21st-century issues.
With an emphasis on isolated subjects, standardized assessments, and content knowledge, our current educational models were designed for the industrial era, with the intended goal of creating masses of efficient factory workers—not to empower critical thinkers, innovators, or wise cyborgs.
Currently, the goal of higher education is to provide students with the degree that society tells them they need, and ostensibly to prepare them for the workforce. In contrast, Lombardo and Blackwood argue that wisdom should be the central goal of higher education, and they elaborate on how we can practically make this happen. Lombardo has developed a comprehensive two-year foundational education program for incoming university students aimed at the development of wisdom.
What does such an educational model look like? Lombardo and Blackwood  break wisdom down into individual traits and capacities, each of which can be developed and measured independently or in combination with others. The authors lay out an expansive list of traits that can influence our decision-making as we strive to tackle global challenges and pave a more exciting future. These include big-picture thinking, curiosity, wonder, compassion, self-transcendence, love of learning, optimism, and courage.
As the authors point out, “given the complex and transforming nature of the world we live in, the development of wisdom provides a holistic, perspicacious, and ethically informed foundation for understanding the world, identifying its critical problems and positive opportunities, and constructively addressing its challenges.”
After all, many of the challenges we see in our world today boil down to out-dated ways of thinking, be they regressive mindsets, superficial value systems, or egocentric mindsets. The development of wisdom would immunize future societies against such debilitating values; imagine what our world would be like if wisdom was ingrained in all leaders and participating members of society.

The Wise Cyborg

Lombardo and Blackwood invite us to imagine how the wise cyborgs of the future would live their lives. What would happen if the powerful human-machine hybrids of tomorrow were also purpose-driven, compassionate, and ethical?
They would perceive the evolving digital world through a lens of wonder, awe, and curiosity. They would use digital information as a tool for problem-solving and a source of infinite knowledge. They would leverage immersive mediums like virtual reality to enhance creative expression and experimentation. They would continue to adapt and thrive in an unpredictable world of accelerating change.
Our media often depict a dystopian future for our species. It is worth considering a radically positive yet plausible scenario where instead of the machines taking over, we converge with them into wise cyborgs. This is just a glimpse of what is possible if we combine transcendent wisdom with powerful exponential technologies.

10 comments:

raviveeramala said...

redboxtv
redbox tv
redboxtv app
redboxtv download
This is just a glimpse of what is possible if we combine transcendent wisdom with powerful exponential technologies.

Sofia said...

Yowhatsapp 2020 is getting recognition day by day. People are very dependent on different apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. all these apps use for entertaining and communication.
yowhatsapp 2020

Unknown said...

Christmas Status and wishes for Facebook Wish you all the best this holiday season and throughout the year, Merry Christmas! Let us celebrate Christmas with …
attitude status for whatsapp

Unknown said...

In this game the player have to play as a shark that eats the other fishes to get some treasurers & goes under the water & swim & search for its PREY to hunt it down. By killing the other fishes & getting the treasure there are some achievements / targets in the game that gets unlocked when you achieve them.
Hungry Shark Evolution

Unknown said...

Selling your car can be a tricky process. There’s much to consider: how much do I sell it for? Who is the right buyer? Is it possible to get the best value for a my car? Even a junk car? With so many questions, it’s easy to get confused. We are ready to pay you cash for your car in Vancouver. If you have been wondering who buys cars in Vancouver and who pays the most cash for cars in Vancouver, then look no further than Cash for Car Vancouver.

selling car for scrap

Unknown said...

We buy all types of automobiles, but specialize in broken cars that have seen better days. Cash For Damaged Car can give you a quote on your broken car and we will even come and pick it up with a tow truck. We take any year, make, model, or condition.
accident cars for sale

Stanza Zing said...

Yowhatsapp 2020 is getting recognition daily basis. People are very dependent on different apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, GbWHatsapp etc. all these apps use for entertaining and communication.
yowhatsapp 2020

Mietwagen 4 said...

love field airport car rental, car rental tulsa airport car rental tulsa airport car rental croatia

cookie-consent-popup said...

Thank you for the details here i found something similar to this. It was very helpful and informative.
For details visit here GDPR COOKIE CONSENT

Post a Comment