Ancient Prophecy and The Technological Singularity

Discussion in 'Science' started by CCitizen, Aug 28, 2018.

  1. CCitizen

    CCitizen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    Messages:
    7,875
    Likes Received:
    1,875
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Since Ancient times, many Jewish prophets and thinkers have envisioned the Messianic Age. Modern scientists call this age "Technological Singularity". Messianic Age will be the Age of Perfection. No one will have any urge to commit crime or sin, nor will there be any conflict. There will be unlimited abundance of all goods, and an absolute absence of Suffering. In this nanoessay, I will not discuss spiritual matters -- only material and technological aspects.

    According to Rabbinic Sources, unlimited material goods will be available to everyone. Producing unlimited abundance is possible with present technology, but it will take time. In my nanoessay "The Solar Power Revolution and Global Post Scarcity Society", I have presented a likely scenario by which our Civilization will increase Gross World Product at least 30 times by the year 2100. It will be accomplished by harvesting Solar Energy which falls on Earth. Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev envisioned such a civilization in 1964 -- he denoted it "Type I Civilization".

    Most Talmud deals with spiritual issues, but some of Midrash has legends discussing material aspects. Many of these legends are not taken literally, and some may be an exaggeration. One legend gives the total human population of 1.3 Quadrillion people during Messianic Age. That is 180,000 times greater then modern World Population.

    According to forecasts based on advances in technology, the colonization of Solar System will likely take place during the next century. The Solar System has virtually unlimited resources. The Asteroid Belt has 3.2*10^{18} tons of material very useful for constructing space habitats -- carbon, water, metals, and silicate rocks. Solar Power radiated into space is also virtually unlimited. These resources are more then sufficient to provide very comfortable life to 1.3 Quadrillion people. According to "Mining the Sky" by John S. Lewis, colonization of Solar System would make it possible to support very high standards of life for a population of several Quadrillion. Nikolai Kardashev classifies such civilization as "Type II Civilization".

    According to Prophet Isaiah and later Rabbinic sources, all illness and mortality will become a thing of the past. That may seem impossible, but smallpox has been eradicated already. The last recorded case happened in 1977. Even though a perfect antidepressant is still unknown, painless surgery has existed since 1848. When all Aggression and Mental Illness will be cured, crime and conflict will be reduced to zero.

    At this point I will discuss some pessimistic Prophecies. First, it is likely that a long time will pass until Messianic Civilization is built. According to Talmud, Messianic Civilization will definitely come into being by the year 6000 on Jewish Calender or 2239 Common Era. Ray Kurzweil in his book "The Singularity is Near" predicts Technological Singularity by 2050s. Throughout recent History, many scientists predicted technological changes to occur much sooner then they occurred in reality. After first steam cars were built in 1820, many thinkers predicted that these cars will replace horse drawn carriages by 1850. In reality it took until 1920s for motor cars to replace earlier forms of transportation. In 1970s, many scientists believed that Solar System Colonization will start in 1980s. Many scientists predicted Nuclear Fusion Power Revolution in 1980s. Thus, the beginning of Messianic Era and Technological Singularity in 2239 seems much more reasonable then at any time during this century.

    Second, before the Messianic Civilization is reached, many wars, epidemics and disasters may happen. Prophet Ezekiel describes the War of Gog and Magog on the eve of Messianic Age. Later Talmudic Sources mention a prophecy that this war will cost the lives of one third of Global population alive at that time. That may mean Hundreds of Trillions casualties throughout Solar System. We all know, that Technological Progress produced weapons of mass destruction. Up to now, World War Two was the bloodiest war in the History of Humankind. Thank G-d, the Thermonuclear War between USA and USSR has been avoided. During the remaining 221 years, there may be many wars much much worse then WWII.

    Other dangers include biological terrorism and epidemics more destructive then Bubonic Plague. During the first half of the XXth century, many Science Fiction works have been written about the possibility of conquest of Earth by space aliens. Now, these fears have subsided, since Solar System does not have intelligent Extraterrestrial life. It is possible, however, that several satellites of Jupiter and Saturn do have bacterial life in their enormous oceans. These bacteria may cause an extremely severe epidemic on Earth.

    Another effect of technology is the breakdown of social structures and emergence of new conflicts. The Talmud mentions that the generation on the eve of Messianic Age will be extremely wicked -- much worse then ours.

    The Internet has enabled many people to act in extremely abusive ways they would never act offline. I have been both the recipient of online abuse and have responded in kind. Many people involved in online flame wars were themselves surprised by aspects of their character which emerged. Computer-Human interface and Collective Consciousness may bring unexpected results. Possibly they will uncover layers of Human Personality much darker then we can imagine. Artificial Intelligence may not be benign.

    I would like to end this nanoessay on a positive note. A civilization based on Universal Well-Being will come. All of the suffering endured during the six thousand years will be forgotten and will become non-real.
     
  2. primate

    primate Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    1,205
    Likes Received:
    370
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Interesting esp to note it in tradition.
     
  3. modernpaladin

    modernpaladin Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2017
    Messages:
    27,706
    Likes Received:
    21,105
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    A lack of conflict sounds incredibly boring. I get ending hunger and disease and crime and war, but there has to be something that keeps life exciting. What for the folks who live to overcome the struggle?

    I keep hoping that 'Heaven' (or w/e you wanna call it from the physical perspective) is what Earth turns into after all the adventurous, conflict-seeking people leave to explore and conquer the rest of the universe.

    Have fun singing coom-by-ya, naked, around the campfire hologram.
     
  4. Buri

    Buri Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2018
    Messages:
    7,723
    Likes Received:
    6,426
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I'm not willing to make the leaps in logic necessary to link things ancient people believed with any realistic outcome we can currently project.
     
  5. CCitizen

    CCitizen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    Messages:
    7,875
    Likes Received:
    1,875
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Technological advancements keep life very interesting and exciting.
     
  6. CCitizen

    CCitizen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    Messages:
    7,875
    Likes Received:
    1,875
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    89% of Americans believe in Old Testament -- that is part of Christianity as well as Judaism.
     
  7. Buri

    Buri Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2018
    Messages:
    7,723
    Likes Received:
    6,426
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Yes, the Appeal to Belief Fallacy. This does not make any suggestions from the OT any more believable or valuable.
     
  8. modernpaladin

    modernpaladin Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2017
    Messages:
    27,706
    Likes Received:
    21,105
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    To a point.

    Star Trek would be pretty dull without all the hostile aliens.
     
  9. Gelecski7238

    Gelecski7238 Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2012
    Messages:
    1,592
    Likes Received:
    196
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gender:
    Male
    Hostility is associated with territoriality. Conflict, competition, and survival of the fittest are regressive, which should all be eventually eliminated by progressive evolution. Even so, if evolution reaches a stopping point in endless utopia, there is no room for further growth. Boredom and stagnation set in. There is no where to go except thru transcendence/transformation. Exit stage right, beyond fourth dimension physicality.
     
  10. yasureoktoo

    yasureoktoo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2018
    Messages:
    9,808
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    113
    BS.
     
  11. CCitizen

    CCitizen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    Messages:
    7,875
    Likes Received:
    1,875
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Watching Star Trek on TV would be dull. But living with a real risk to life is not fun.
     
  12. CCitizen

    CCitizen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    Messages:
    7,875
    Likes Received:
    1,875
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    At least 85% of Americans are Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. They all believe in Old Testament.
     
  13. yasureoktoo

    yasureoktoo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2018
    Messages:
    9,808
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Sorry, but they do not all believe in it.
    Most accept part of it as history, many overlook the bronze age BS as not to factual.
    And BTW, Muslims re-wrote their version.

    People, mostly in the free world, have outgrown the stories of the OT.

    Nobody thinks the world is 6000 years old anymore, Well... you may.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2018
    Buri likes this.
  14. primate

    primate Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    1,205
    Likes Received:
    370
    Trophy Points:
    83
    The people in America of Abrahamic faith may not believe all of the OT but do in parts or in toto. Some do believe in it literately, some in parts and others incorporate science, astronomy and cosmology.
     
  15. yasureoktoo

    yasureoktoo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2018
    Messages:
    9,808
    Likes Received:
    2,351
    Trophy Points:
    113
    The OT is looked at loosely, as a history book. There are some things in there that exist nowhere else.
    It gives us an insight into the people of the times, what was important to them, how they lived, etc.
    But there is a whole bunch that is simply not believed anymore.
     
    Buri likes this.
  16. David Landbrecht

    David Landbrecht Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2018
    Messages:
    2,006
    Likes Received:
    1,163
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Technological advancements are all well and good, but what is really needed is psychological progress, with all that means for human spirit, emotion and self knowledge. We already possess fantastic wealth materially, but look at how it is applied! 'We' have hardly advanced in maturity from the early renaissance.
     

Share This Page