Here be dragons : science, technology and the future of humanity / Olle Häggström. .

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Häggström, Olle, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Technology and civilization.

Technological innovations--Social aspects.

Technological innovations.

Physical Description:

ix, 278 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford, U K ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2016.

Summary:

The 21st century will most likely see even more revolutionary changes than the 20th, due to advances in science, technology and medicine. Particular areas where extraordinary and perhaps disruptive advances can be expected include biotechnology, nanotechnology, and machine intelligence. We may also expect various ways to enhance human cognitive and other abilities using, e.g., pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering or machine-brain interfaces - perhaps to the extent of changing human nature beyond what we currently think of as human. The potential benefits of all these technologies are enormous, but so are the risks, including the possibility of human extinction.

Contents:

Preface

1. Science for good and science for bad

2. Our planet and its biosphere

3. Engineering better humans?

4. Computer revolution

5. Going nano

6. What is science?

7. The fallacious Doomsday Argument

8. Doomsday nevertheless?

9. Space colonization and the Fermi Paradox

10. What do we want and what should we do?

References

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [251]-273) and index.

Other Format:

Electronic reproduction (manifestation): Häggström, Olle. Here be dragons : science, technology, and the future of humanity

ISBN:

9780198723547

0198723547

OCLC:

915509125