Mimetic Culture and Transhumanism
The Evolutionary Implications of Technological Advancement
In addition to my ongoing series about the consequenses of artificial intelligence and where it leaves us, here is a brief summary of the essential part of my personal research on mimetic culture and transhumanism with its evolutionary implications through technological progress.
Mimetic Evolution itself is a concept proposed by me in the early 2000s as a media and cultural scholar, describing a new form of evolution based on the imitation and reproduction of cultural and technological innovations. Unlike traditional biological evolution, which is based on genetic mutations and natural selection, Mimetic Evolution is driven by human creativity and innovation. As technology and culture advance, new ideas and innovations are rapidly adopted and spread throughout society, creating a feedback loop of innovation and imitation that accelerates progress.
Therefore, Mimetic Evolution is a concept that refers to the idea that human evolution is no longer primarily driven by biological processes, but by cultural processes. In other words, it is the idea that our ability to copy and mimic all sorts of patterns is emerging as the primary mechanism for our continued development as a species.
This idea is often associated with transhumanism, a movement that advocates the use of technology to enhance human capabilities and overcome our biological limitations. Mimetic Evolution assumes that as we continue to develop and use technology, we will experience an even greater acceleration of cultural change and innovation, which will in turn drive our evolution as a species.
In particular, the fields of artificial intelligence and biotechnology will interact to form the cornerstones of this new form of evolution, which will focus on improving and augmenting human capabilities. This could include the use of advanced prosthetics, neural implants, and genetic engineering to create a new class of humans that are more intelligent, resilient, and adaptable than their predecessors.
Mimetic Evolution thus represents a profound shift in the course of human history and has the potential to change the nature of what it means to be human.
However, there is also concern that Mimetic Evolution could lead to a dystopian future in which a small elite controls access to advanced technologies and uses them to expand their own power and privilege at the expense of the rest of society. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the ethical implications of any new technology or cultural innovation and ensure that it is used for the benefit of all humanity.
Overall, I consider Mimetic Evolution conceptualized in conjunction with artificial intelligence (AI), virtual or augmented reality, social media, and soon quantum computing, to be an inevitability that highlights the increasing pace of technological and cultural change and the potential for humans to shape their own destiny through innovation and creativity.
