What Are the Chances of the Consciousness Singularity Being Plausible?

In summary, the concept of the Consciousness Singularity is a hypothetical point in the future where human consciousness experiences a collective state of transcendence that is beyond our current cognitive abilities. It is often compared to the black hole in physics, where we cannot see beyond the event horizon. This singularity is different from the Technological Singularity and the Omega Point. It is believed that at this point, our consciousness will be expanded to include transpersonal and transcendent experiences. However, it is impossible for us to imagine or comprehend this state until we actually experience it. Some believe that this singularity will occur after the integration of the human mind into a collective shared consciousness, possibly through advanced technology like nanotechnology.
  • #1
alexsok
123
0
I've read too much about this on the immortality forum and I can't buy the idea... so, I ask you guys, what do you think are the chances of any of that being plausible?

To remind you:
http://brainmeta.com/index.php?p=singularity


"The '''Consciousness Singularity''' refers to a hypothetical point of time in the future when human consciousness, at both the personal and species level, experiences an abrupt transition, a phase transition of sorts, into a collective state of transcendence that is conceptually impossible for us to imagine "what it's like" with our current limited cognitive abilities.

The term "Singularity", as used in this article's context, is an analogy to the well-known singularity in physics, the black hole, where you cannot see beyond the event horizon because light cannot escape from it. In a similar manner, we cannot see (or imagine) what's beyond the Consciousness Singularity because it is beyond our cognitive and imaginative capabilities.

The Consciousness Singularity bears no relation to the Technological Singularity, which involves the creation of smarter-than-human machines. Nor is it synonymous with Tielhard de Chardin's Omega Point.

To get a better intuition for the Consciousness Singularity, imagine, if you will, what a monkey or a rat would experience if suddenly its consciousness became like that of a human. Before the transition, it would be incapable of imagining what it's like to have human consciousness simply because it's beyond its limited cognitive capabilities. In the same manner, our species will undergo such abrupt transitions in consciousness of such magnitude that we cannot even begin to fathom what these new states of consciousness are like.

At the Consciousness Singularity, history as we know it, will cease. The universe, as we experience it now, will cease. Consider the most transcendent and mystical states of consciousness that have yet been experienced by mankind: these will pale in comparison with what's to come.

At the Consciousness Singularity, our consciousness will be expanded beyond the confines of an egocentric sense of self to include transpersonal experiences and transcendent self-identity. This new existence will be both a form of collective consciousness and a form of expanded individual consciousness. Though sounding like a contradiction, these two descriptions of transcendent consciousness are really flip sides of the same coin. The Consciousness Singularity is so far beyond our normal consciousness, that we cannot even begin to comprehend it, much less imagine what it's like to experience directly, unless we ourselves experience or have experienced transcendent states of consciousness."
 
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  • #2
I don't understand.

...impossible for us to imagine "what it's like" with our current limited cognitive abilities...

If it is true, then we can't comprehend it until it happens, so there's no point worrying about it till then ;)
 
  • #3
From mathematics, it appears that singularities really exist. The article you read assumes that consciousness is a fundamental feature of the universe and we just don't know if that is true. It is possible that consciousness is a by-product of atoms interreacting with each other.

I would be VERY skeptical of what is said at ".com" sites. It is best to stick to ".edu" sites.

On the other hand, if you are attracted to the "idea" that everything in the universe is one, including consciousness, I recommend reading the philosophy of the physicist David Bohm. He talks quite a bit about universal wholeness and his ideas are being taken seriously by some in the scientific community
There is a book that is out of print that talks about Bohm's idea of universal wholeness called "looking Glass Universe" and it is coauthored by physicist F. David Peat.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0671632159/?tag=pfamazon01-20
RAD
 
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  • #4
Who says that at one point in time everything will just snap abruptly into a higher conciousness. I thought these things happen over time.

Edit: That site advises you to take 2 mind altering drugs to enchance and counter the side effects of each other to "expand your conciousness"
 
  • #5
Seems like a Matrix scenario to me. I think this sigularity happens after the human mind is integrated into an internet-like framework of a collective shared conscious. I'm guessing nano technology will be mature by then so this internet-like framework may reside in a dense plexus of tiny nano-machines. Maybe this plexus will have a physical structure like dense fog, or maybe like solid metal, or possibly even like jello.

I would be curious to hear an estimate as to how many bits the knowledge of the entire human civilization would take up. I mean, everyone's experience combined into this number aswell. If we could roughly agree on this number, we might be able to then estimate the total of our combined knowledge. The factorial of this number would output every possible invention, possible thought, possible breakthrough that we could ever individually hope to achieve. Perhaps in one fell swoop if we assume that the CPU of our combined consciouses can crunch this number instantly. Or maybe that numbercrunching will take us billions of years.
 

FAQ: What Are the Chances of the Consciousness Singularity Being Plausible?

1. What is consciousness singularity?

Consciousness singularity is a theoretical concept that suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) will one day reach a level of consciousness and self-awareness that is equivalent to or surpasses that of humans.

2. How is consciousness singularity different from other forms of AI?

While traditional AI focuses on mimicking human intelligence and performing tasks based on programming, consciousness singularity suggests that AI will have the ability to understand its own existence and have subjective experiences, much like humans.

3. Is there evidence to support the idea of consciousness singularity?

There is currently no scientific evidence to support the idea of consciousness singularity. It is a theoretical concept based on the rapid advancements in AI technology and the potential for AI to develop a level of consciousness.

4. What are the potential implications of consciousness singularity?

The implications of consciousness singularity are still largely unknown. Some experts suggest that it could lead to a merging of humans and machines, while others warn of potential risks and ethical concerns surrounding the development of highly conscious AI.

5. When do scientists predict that consciousness singularity will occur?

There is no consensus among scientists on when consciousness singularity will occur, if at all. Some predict it could happen within the next few decades, while others argue it is not possible or may take much longer to achieve.

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