Heaven On Earth

[Squeezer]

well-being is moral urgency.

i hope you enjoy my fun futurist posts, they are fun little reads and not Sci-Fi.

they're full of shit.

[Tone]

they're full of shit.

You have to realize that with enough engineering, any state of consciousness is possible, because all it is, is brain function, neurons sending particular electrical signals in particular patterns. because of psychoactive drugs causing such a reletive profound change in one's reality, we already know how possible profoundly different realities are. but bioengineering goes a step farther. you see, while drugs can affect neural signaling through altering neurotransmitter levels, or mimic the actions of neurotransmitters and bind to brain receptors, bioengineering can actually change the amount of receptors in a particular area of the brain, such as the final pleasure pathways. this would actually be redesigning neural archetechture to cause humans to have more compacity to experience pleasure, whereas drugs merely cause chemical changes and use what is already there. with this in mind, you can only imagine what is possible.

Every aspect of paradise-engineering or abolitionism is wholy positive. The result are humans capible of unimaginable states of wellbeing that would include profound motivation, sense of love affection and empathy, creativity, and actually more diversity than less. Not even our greatest peak experiences with the use of drugs, meditation, or even just natural can give us more than a crude, watered down, side-effect ridden, and imperfect glimpse of what our reality can be. thank you =)~, Tone

[Squeezer]

there's no reason for that.

It would make masturbation futile.

[Tibro]

t0ne trying to re-gain respect? it will never happen

[Theif of Time]

bioengineering can actually change the amount of receptors in a particular area of the brain, such as the final pleasure pathways.

I'm greatly against Genetic Engineering of the human brain, not for moral reasons, for practical reasons.

this would actually be redesigning neural archetechture to cause humans to have more compacity to experience pleasure, whereas drugs merely cause chemical changes and use what is already there. with this in mind, you can only imagine what is possible.

You see, if it becomes possible to engineer the human brain to an altered state of consciousness, then it is also possible to engineer the brain to an altered way of thinking, abolishing free thought. Ok, so maybe it is a moral reason.

Every aspect of paradise-engineering or abolitionism is wholy positive. The result are humans capible of unimaginable states of wellbeing that would include profound motivation, sense of love affection and empathy, creativity, and actually more diversity than less. Not even our greatest peak experiences with the use of drugs, meditation, or even just natural can give us more than a crude, watered down, side-effect ridden, and imperfect glimpse of what our reality can be. thank you =)~, Tone

Also I'd like to point out that the current understanding of engineering science is unable to predict the side effects to such engineering. It is possible that by enhancing the pleasure receptors the brain will burn itself out, literally dying of pleasure. A great way to go, but not really very productive. In short, side effects will be on a similar scale to those from drugs, except far more permanent.
The brain has evolved in such a way that it is useful as is. I don't object to altering a defective brain to enhance it.

BTW, although I didn't like your vocal denouncing of weasels overpoweredness, I hold no grudges. We learn to get along with them (both the weasels and people who annoy us, as many have said its a 2d spaceship game).

[Tone]

The brain has evolved in such a way that it is useful as is. I don't object to altering a defective brain to enhance it.

we are already defective, our everyday norm is a darwinian prison of negative feedback mechanisms and pain which no longer need to serve a survival purpose, and abolitionism through biotech is liberation.

It is possible that by enhancing the pleasure receptors the brain will burn itself out, literally dying of pleasure.

my answer to this would be just as larger and more devoloped brains lead to more intelligence (compare the vast difference between rat brain to a human and their intelligence level) in the same way the capacity for pleasure and wellbeing can be increased.

You see, if it becomes possible to engineer the human brain to an altered state of consciousness, then it is also possible to engineer the brain to an altered way of thinking, abolishing free thought. Ok, so maybe it is a moral reason.

in the big determinist picture, thought isnt too free in the first place. With depression, anxiety, dysphoria and painful mental aliments out of the way and a hightened sense of well-being, throught may be more free. granted, we must avoid a brave new world scenerio where thought is intentionally controlled. The technology is comming either way.

BTW, although I didn't like your vocal denouncing of weasels overpoweredness, I hold no grudges. We learn to get along with them (both the weasels and people who annoy us, as many have said its a 2d spaceship game)

they were ruining everything the way they were and everyone knew it. some enjoyed it because they were cloakers themselves. The Nitewasp and New Weasel are both great ships. It was right for the Nitewasp to have unlimited invisibility because it didnt just suddenly kill in one hit, it was part of the game and an interesting and complex ship - nothing like the old weasels simple get on top of a ship while cloaked and press Ctrl and thats 'part of the game.'

[Theif of Time]

Entering the unknown is indeed a very risky business. Pain itself is a survival trait, without it we have no way of knowing whether our body is in danger or not. (There is a story by a man called Cordwainer Smith called Scanners Live in Vain, scifi written in '48 about 'scanners' who are humans who have undergone a mechanical transplant in order for them to survive in deep space: the result of which they can no longer feel pain, and so have to be constantly 'scanning' their bodies for any sign of defect. They could die in a second, and never feel a thing.)
The same with Fear. A survival trait to keep us alive, provide adrenaline and those other chemicals.

A rat brain needs to be no larger. Humans are weird, we have inferior bodies and make up for it with intellect and tool using. My point... our intellect and our brains as are are survival traits. Altering them could alter our chances for survival, for better or for worse. Altering the way we think, aswell... could alter our culture, our lifestyle. Some of the worlds greatest artists and thinkers suffered from various mental ailments, Van Gogh for one (everyone knows the story about him, the whore and the bloody ear). Those with the greatest thinking minds are more prone to depression and mental instability, it seems. Lets just hope this new technology will be good enough to prevent that.
I am reminded of the anecdote in which a scientist creates the most intelligent super-being in existance, I forget whether ir be frankenstein-esque or AI. But this intelligence awakes, with the entire history of the universe and all reality in its mind, and promtly commits suicide.

Yes the technology is coming: But how will it be used?
Will it be surpressed by fundamental Christian groups such as those which seem dominant in the US, and driven to the black market of 3rd World Tyrants, Mad scientists etc?
Will it be embraced by modern society as 'yet another makeover'?
Will it be discouraged by the scientific, as unstable and dangerous?
In short, will it be the refuge of the wealthy and priviliged, creating a GATTACA like society?
How do you see this technology being used in todays society?

EDIT: I will not go into a further discussion of weasels here, for the most part what you say was correct: but the use you claim it was put to was not its only one. Fortunately, its other use was only slightly hindered by the change and adaption was quick. But, It was not the 4th spoke on the axis of evil you make it out to be. I believe more people will agree that tking javs, the abundance of javs, useless javs etc. was a greater problem, but the enemy within is harder to see than the enemy without (a visible form). But this is not the thread to discuss the evils of tw in.

[K2Grey]

The ability to alter the brain at will (if that is possible) does not mean that all states of consciousness may be accessed, but only that all possible states of consciousness can be accessed, just like how an infinite # of worlds does not mean that any world is possible.

[Theif of Time]

So you're saying that the states of consciousness we can experience now, via drugs or other stimulants, can be engineered, but we cannot engineer new 'ideal' states?

[Edify]

oh man, quote wars are teh best0rz!

heaven is heaven, there's no creating it, only God can do that.

[Theif of Time]

consider yourself quoted

heaven is heaven, there's no creating it, only God can do that.

thats what this is all about: people playing God to access (not neccesarily create) heaven.

[K2Grey]

Yet heaven, by its very nature, is with God and beyond mortals, so while mortals may seek to create a heaven for themselves, they will invariably fall short, for the Lord is not with them.

Substitute 'heaven' with 'paradise' or 'utopia' and it might get somewhere, though.

[Shas'la T'au Kais]

42

[SaucyKing]

Tone I fucking hate your avatar and from now on I am going to take every opportunity to say it.

I fucking hate your avatar.

[Superted]

I'd hate to be in a constant state of bliss, life isn't all one-sided. Sure I loathe being depressed but it's who I am. It's certainly not something I'd wish upon my child, not allowing them to experience the full range of emotions that is. Sure the bad ones suck, but the also give the good ones meaning. I'm chatting shit again aren't I?