In this blog post, we take an in-depth look at how the convergence of the brain and technology will transform human identity and what new forms of existence a society that shares thoughts will create.
Are you familiar with the “Ship of Theseus” paradox? This dilemma originates from the Greek and Roman mythological hero Theseus. After defeating the famous Minotaur in the Labyrinth of Crete, Theseus returned to Athens. To honor Theseus’s achievements, the Athenians decided to preserve his ship, maintaining it through extensive repairs over a long period, lasting until the time of Demetrius of Phaleron. To keep the ship intact, they replaced each plank with a new one as the old ones rotted away. As time passed, the ship began to be filled with more and more new planks, at which point a philosopher raised the question: “Is this truly Theseus’s ship?”
In his book *Sapiens*, renowned historian Yuval Harari predicts the end of Homo sapiens using logic similar to the example given above. According to Chapter 20 of ‘Sapiens’, titled “The End of Homo sapiens,” humans—that is, Homo sapiens—have, like all living beings, been subject to physical forces, chemical reactions, and natural selection; however, due to the rapid advancement of science and technology, they are now reaching a stage where they transcend the limitations of living organisms. Yuval Harari defines this as “intelligent design” and explains that it is being realized through three scientific technologies: cyborg engineering, biotechnology, and the technology for creating non-living entities.
Today, I would like to introduce cyborg engineering, the technology among these three that has the greatest impact on the end of Homo sapiens. A cyborg refers to an entity that partially combines living and non-living components. Are you, the reader of this article, a cyborg? Most people would answer “no” to this question. However, in a broader sense, not only people using prosthetic limbs or pacemakers—the images that typically come to mind—but also those who rely on smartphones or computers—that is, the majority of people on this planet—qualify as cyborgs. Just 20 years ago, smartphones did not exist. People had to memorize each other’s phone numbers to contact one another. But now, we simply turn on our smartphones and use the phone number data stored within them to make contact. In other words, the human brain has been extended outward. This fits the definition of a cyborg. In fact, ‘Sapiens’ even mentions the possibility of technologies that program the human mind and consciousness. Just as with the “Ship of Theseus” paradox described earlier, this raises the question of whether Homo sapiens, whose bodies and minds are gradually becoming mechanized, can still be called Homo sapiens.
But that’s not all. Recently, with the advancement of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, it is believed that not only the human body but society as a whole will be affected by these changes. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently founded Neuralink Corp. and announced plans to develop “Neural Lace” technology. Neural Lace technology involves implanting a biochip in the brain to enable the uploading and downloading of human thoughts. If this technology becomes a reality, it is predicted that the boundaries of professional specialization—so-called “specialized professions”—will disappear, as the collective will be able to build a single database that transcends collective intelligence. Furthermore, as the production and transmission of information become much easier, the overall social structure is also expected to undergo a major transformation. Above all, as human thought becomes unified, the issue of the loss of self may arise, and there are also concerns about the simplification of society. This sentence and the one preceding it use commas somewhat frequently. While they were used appropriately to convey the exact meaning, frequent commas can make the sentence feel disjointed. If a sentence becomes too long, it is better to split it into two.
As the human body, brain, and even social structures become increasingly cyborg-like, is the “Homo sapiens” we know gradually facing extinction? Whether this is extinction or not, it seems clear that a new era is dawning for humanity. However, there is no need to view this solely in a negative light. Just as every beginning has an end and every end leads to another beginning—and just as the extinction of Homo erectus paved the way for the emergence of Homo sapiens—the end of Homo sapiens could also mark the start of a new humanity. The wisest course of action would be to embrace the changes that have already begun without fear, yet without letting our guard down, through a process of social consensus.
