FOREWORD

The Transhuman Singularity was to be a science fiction novel about the extinction and rebirth of humanity. Although it is incomplete and imperfect, I believe it is of some value. This work represents 23,000 words in approximately 2 years and is copyright intellectual property of Michael Blade, March 2008. So in some small way I may have shaped thinking of the future through internet readership.

TRANSHUMAN & SINGULARITY

So you may be asking what does this Transhuman Singluarity mean?

Well, Transhuman implies transitional, or transformational humans. Human beings enhanced or changed by technology, but still recognizable as being human. Singularity is the Technological Singularity (not to be confused with a black hole), which is a convergence of technologies leading to a point beyond which there is maximum change and advancement is extremely rapid (exponential growth as opposed to linear). This has presently come to mean the creation of self improving Artificial Intelligence. I believe there will be a convergence of AI and Human Enhancement. Hence, Transhuman Singularity.

So This implies the transhuman singularity is a rapid enhancement of humans by technology leading to the unpredictable posthuman(s) through the integration of humans with artificial intelligence, cyborg implants, life extension treatments, virtual reality augmentation, mind uploading, and space migration technologies.

The results of this are very speculative, and hence I have written science fiction stories to describe this. The dangers are many, possible extinction, but the rewards are just as great, immortality, god-like powers, and super knowledge.

WHY I WROTE IT

I began writing this story after reading Ray Kurzweil's, "The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology". Later, I attended the Singularity Summit 2007, a seminar held here in San Francisco by The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI). These events and others inspired me to imagine what the future might be like if technology continued to accelerate and there was a convergence of many existing trends; increased information, ubiquitous computers, miniaturization, artificial intelligence, nanomachines, genetic engineering, space travel, Moon and Mars colonies, virtual reality worlds, robots, life extension, and transhuman beings. All these things and more, coming together and creating things I can't even begin to think of.

One of my big worries is that as a consequence of this increasing technological acceleration, humanity may become self-endangered, we have a potential for an "Extinction Singularity". The uncontrolled hard take off of technology versus a more controlled soft climb, but I would bet a lot of this is influenced by population density and planet resource utilization. I suggest that may be one explanation for the Fermi Paradox. That's really what this science fiction story is about, humanity has been destroyed, and now we must bring ourselves back to life using the Lunar Ark and with a little help from galactic level aliens.

In the real world, I would strongly suggest that humanity build a Lunar Ark as soon as feasibly possible. Then continue to keep it up to date as the technology advances, as a sort of "Singularity Insurance".

MY DAD

I fondly remember as a kid staying up with my dad, past my bed time, to watch the original Star Trek TV series and discussing afterward the ideas and morals of the story. I also remember the fun I had with my brother and dad building and launching solid propellant model rockets. I guess that made me a childhood dreamer with an interest in science. In addition to reading great science fiction by Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, and working a summer job with my cousins to buy my first "home computer" (TRS-80 Model I). Still short on money, my dad helped make up the difference, and I was soon on my way to becoming a computer nerd with an appetite for science fiction.

STAR TRAVEL BY RADIO OR LIGHT WAVE!

Unfortunately, for us science fiction fans, and dreamers, I don't believe humanity will travel to the stars inside normal size starships. However, our dreams will come true, we will make it to the stars. The real question we should be asking ourselves is, will we be the same human beings when we finally get there?

I believe we are first destined to digitize ourselves into cyberspace, then transmit redundantly at the speed of light to nearby star systems. By using Microstarships employing nano technology and light sails, it should be possible to first send them ahead at near sub-light speeds, building receiver stations on the other side, waiting to receive transhumans, ageless, traveling on a radio beam. After that, we could engage ourselves studying the new alien solar system, or sleep until the next hop comes online. Like The Nanos in the story, who knows what we will find? or become? The options are nearly limitless as long as you think a little outside of the box.

          

Three technological images of the future: Polar international moon colony Lunar City, Injected wireless nanobots connecting brain neurons giving humans actual Nanotelepathy, Beam accelerated light sails to the stars for digital human fast-as-lightspeed travel via Microstarship galactic viral network.

I hope that through the reading of this material, you too will be inspired to dream the impossible, which is the first step to making it happen.

-Michael Blade, March 19, 2008