What is the ultimate goal of human technology as we understand it at this stage?<p>Where will technology be in 1, 5, 10, 100, 10^3, 10^4 years?<p>Areas to consider:<p>* Locomotion<p>* Communication<p>* Agriculture/energy<p>* Infrastructure and social arrangements<p>As technologists, what are your thoughts on this?
The ultimate goal of technology is to make human lives better; more comfortable, easier, safer, securer, etc.<p>I think Maslow's hierarchy of needs might help define the priority of invention (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslows_hierarchy_of_needs" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslows_hierarchy_of_needs</a>).<p>The ultimate step in this hierarchy is "self-actualization", whatever that is. Once we satisfy our social, biological needs, (easy cheap food, plentiful resources) we can work on technology to "self-actualize". This technology and process could fundamentally change the meaning of being human.
People forget that technological development isn't linear but an exponential curve. Once we get to a point where machines can design themselves the sky is the limit. Right now all human knowledge doubles every 2 years. Look back at the technology 50 years, or just 20 years ago and see how far we have come. It's impossible to predict where we will be even just 20 years from now.<p>In the 20-30 year time frame everything from immortality to artificial sentience could be possible.
There is no ultimate goal, though the idea of harnessing zero point energy if it is possible is certainly intriguing, it might allow us to stop the universe from ending in heat death, that would be quite an accomplishment.