Augmented Intelligence Sci Fi
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Genre
In the most general sense, the idea is of a genre focused on a future dominated by AI--not as artificial intelligence, but augmented intelligence. The central idea that the genesis of the next level of being will be the augmentation of the human mind. My guess is that the majority of the stories (at least the early ones) would focus on this as a physiological bio-man/machine interface. The defining characteristic, however, is the idea that our concept of being is effectivelyref group=notesWhether the limitation be actual or merely perceptual is not important from this perspective. The difference is between a scientific view that views matter as discrete and what many Westerners would perceive as an eastern spiritualism idea of transcendental oneness./ref limited by our bodies--our bodies being the physical thing to which our minds are connected.
By extending these perceptual boundaries, the mind, the concept of self, and the nature of being is expanded. The genre has its rootsref group=notesAt the time of this writing, the genre does not yet exist (AFAIK), but a future subjective-potential tense is cumbersome in English so I've opted to speak in the present objective. E.g., The genre has its roots rather than Should it come about, this possible future genre may be said to have its roots. The description is written from a definite future point of view, meaning, a time when the genre has come about as described./ref in the late 20th and early 21st information age. Though not a direct connection (as through the nervous system or equivalent), the idea that the average person could reach and have an impact so far outside of one's immediate surroundings was the genesis of the genre. It would even be perfectly reasonable to argue that the reality of the trans-self stretches back through the written word, language, and simple communication, all the way pre-history and even to atoms and matter itself. Where the lines are drawn is part of the question the genre poses to us.
Motifs
- Development of cyborg as a primarily mental/perceptual technology: while RoboCop and the Japanese Mobile Suit stuff is great, if we were really thinking of a likely future that contains highly effective bio-man/machine interfaces, it seems that the least likely outcome would be the limitation of the machines to man-scale things. Much more likely that minds would control ships, interface with city accounting, engage in policy debates with real time searching of vast databases and support of other minds. A guy with a gun for a hand becomes silly. Note, such a thing could still happen, and be central in the books. Such physically focused cyborgs would make good cops--stories of how the minds oppress the baseline humans?--but the point is that it would clearly be the mind-cyborgs which would dominate in such a future.
Specific Structures and Ideas
- Historical Fifth Limb project in which wealthy entrepreneur businessman develops ability to communicate with a simple calculator through direct neurological interface.
- Quotes of books about the nature of free will heading chapter.
- 18th Century Treatise: Free will is the spark of the divine, the unique reflection of Man in the image of the Creator.
- Late 21st Century Philosophy College Textbook: Rather than being a boolean question, 'free will' can be best understood as 'an entity or system's ability to define itself'; not so much as the perception of self--consciousness--but rather as the ability to create and redefine this ineffable self.
- Mid 22nd Century College Text on Psychophysiology: The self itself is a gradient of sorts. Within baseline man and other non-augmented organisms the extent of the physical self is rather clear cut. While the extent of the conceptual self is a question we leave to the philosopher, our operative definition of the physical self must include all augmentations to be of use. Within this realm, however, the lack of the hard boundary found in baseline organisms leads us to an understanding of shades of the self centered around a core consciousness.
- From Discussions with the Collective, 2310: We agree that some individual minds are not well suited for collectivisation. We remember the point of view, and the fear, and admit that it would be fair to say that the individual contributors to our self have died. We find the idea that they are then 'reborn' amusing for it's melodrama. The self of 'we' is not so different than the self of 'I'. You could say it all gets back to Descartes.
Notes
references group=notes /
