Chapter 16

In this article, Sumner talks about how we as a race of intelligent humans are moving quickly toward a world in which the computers we have created will be smarter than us. In turn, we are also heading toward a future where immortality will be more than fictitious thoughts and, frankly, we will not need to think about much anyway because we will know everything. To be completely honest I thought this article was a bit of a stretch, especially time frame wise. I thought that Sumner was being a bit too optimistic in his evaluations of how much and how soon some of this would happen. Ultimately I do not disagree with him, I have always believed that we are on a one way road to self-sufficient artificial intelligence (or maybe that's just the geek in me). The point point of immortality seems a bit closer to reality than the other points that Sumner brought up. Right now, morally, nations are restricting scientific measures that could aid in lengthening life such as artificial reproduction of organic limbs, organs, etc. and stem cell research. It is in this where I think science will make the most, and quickest, gains.