Technological singularity

In future studies, a technological singularity (also referred to as just the Singularity) is a predicted future event when technological progress and societal change accelerate due to the advent of superhuman intelligence, changing our environment beyond the ability of pre-Singularity humans to comprehend or reliably predict. This event is named by analogy with the breakdown of modern physics knowledge near the gravitational singularity of a black hole.

Evolution of society

Main article: Sociocultural evolution

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some view the Singularity as a logical consequence of the evolution of society. Many sociologists and anthropologists have created social theories dealing with social and cultural evolution. Some, like Lewis H. Morgan, Leslie White, and Gerhard Lenski, declare technological progress to be the primary factor driving the development of human civilization.

Related Topics:
Sociologists - Anthropologists - Social theories - Lewis H. Morgan - Leslie White - Gerhard Lenski - Technological progress

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Morgan's concept of three major stages of social evolution (savagery, barbarism, and civilization) can be divided by technological milestones, like fire, the bow, and pottery in the savage era, domestication of animals, agriculture, and metalworking in the barbarian era and the alphabet and writing in the civilization era.

Related Topics:
Savagery - Barbarism - Civilization - Fire - Bow - Pottery - Domestication of animals - Agriculture - Metalworking - Alphabet - Writing

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Instead of specific inventions, White decided that the measure by which to judge the evolution of culture was energy. For White, "the primary function of culture" is to "harness and control energy." White differentiates between five stages of human development: In the first, people use energy of their own muscles. In the second, they use energy of domesticated animals. In the third, they use the energy of plants (agricultural revolution). In the fourth, they learn to use the energy of natural resources: coal, oil, gas. In the fifth, they harness nuclear energy.

Related Topics:
Energy - Domesticated animals - Agricultural revolution - Nuclear energy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

White introduced a formula P=E*T, where E is a measure of energy consumed, and T is the measure of efficiency of technical factors utilizing the energy. In his own words, "culture evolves as the amount of energy harnessed per capita per year is increased, or as the efficiency of the instrumental means of putting the energy to work is increased." The Russian astronomer Nikolai Kardashev extrapolated this theory to create the Kardashev scale, which categorizes the energy use of advanced civilizations. A Dyson sphere is Type II on this scale, and humanity is currently at about 0.7.

Related Topics:
Nikolai Kardashev - Kardashev scale - Dyson sphere

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lenski takes a more modern approach and focuses on information. The more information and knowledge (especially allowing the shaping of natural environment) a given society has, the more advanced it is. He identifies four stages of human development, based on advances in the history of communication. In the first stage, information is passed by genes. In the second, when humans gain sentience, they can learn and pass information through by experience. In the third, the humans start using signs and develop logic. In the fourth, they can create symbols, develop language and writing. Advancements in the technology of communication translates into advancements in the economic system and political system, distribution of goods, social inequality and other spheres of social life. He also differentiates societies based on their level of technology, communication and economy: (1) hunters and gatherers, (2) simple agricultural, (3) advanced agricultural, (4) industrial (5) special (like fishing societies).

Related Topics:
Information - History of communication - Gene - Sentience - Learn - Signs - Logic - Symbols - Language - Writing - Economic system - Political system - Distribution of goods - Social inequality

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Finally, from the late 1970s sociologist and anthropologists like Alvin Toffler (author of Future Shock), Daniel Bell and John Naisbitt have approached the theories of postindustrial societies, arguing that the current era of industrial society is coming to an end, and services and information are becoming more important than industry and goods. Some of the more extreme visions of the postindustrial society, especially in fiction, envision the elimination of economic scarcity and are strikingly similar to the visions of near and post-Singularity societies.

Related Topics:
Alvin Toffler - Future Shock - Daniel Bell - John Naisbitt - Postindustrial societies - Industrial society - Services - Industry - Good - Fiction - Economic scarcity

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~