I robot.

[claymore]

If we somehow survive extinction we are on the road to immortality.with the rapid advances in computers, nano technology,robotics,medicine etc.I believe we will become more machine than flesh and bone.probably the only part of our bodies we will retain will be our brains-----computer enhanced of course. will we have a soul,will we still be human, will this be evolution without mutation?

[jake-the-peg]

The path of history is solid with people who try and fail to predict the path that technology will take.

I have a book I bought in the 70's called "visions of the future" by none less than Arthur C Clarke.

He totallly fails to foresee the computer revolution despite being on the brink of it and sees a great future for hovercraft.

So I guess your vision is no more or less likely than mine or anybody elses.

But personally I think you need to remember that technologies accelerate away and then stall or progress slower. Whilst you're in an accelerating phase it looks as if it will continue forever.

That's why in the 70's everybody thought we'd be living on the moon or mars by now.

Similarly the current generation of computers will run out of road soon, the components are already getting so small that quantum errors are begining to become an issue. It remains to be seen if new types of computers such as quantum computers are truely feasible.

The growth areas seem to be nanotechnology but that's still in it's infancy and bio-technology.

You can however learn a few lessons from biotechnology. There is widespread resistance to GM crops it's a classic demonstration that technology must be acceptable as well as just viable. Nuclear energy's another one.

I think your vision will stumble here - I don't think people will want their bodies replaced with robotics. I think that biotechnology will advance the current technology of growing human organs in animals like pigs we will still be entirely human but will probably die with a small proportion of the organs we were born with

[claymore]

Jake I believe the prospect of near immortality will overcome any resistance people would have to becoming part man part machine.Lets face it , if we want to get off this planet and explore the cosmos we can t do it solely as human beings.

[jake-the-peg]

But you won't be able to offer that - not with mechanicals.

The efficiency of biological cells to store and use power is way over anything that could be achieved with mechanical units.

But it may be irrelevant anyway, the brain is just another organ and it shrinks and decays with age.

Little point in having a beatiful young body if you're riddled with Alzheimers!

[rojash]

I read somewhere that the only parts of our bodies that never stop growing are ears and noses. Can you imagine what a thousand-year-old man would look like? Mr potato head!