Conclusion: Universal History, Deep Future, and Eternal Present

Abstract

This work attempted to use interdisciplinary philosophical knowledge to open a new perspective on the idea of ‘global brain singularity’. The ‘global brain’ is here used as a systemic concept to describe the distributed-networked nature of intelligence expressed by human civilization; and ‘singularity’ is here used as a philosophic concept to describe an immanent qualitative transition in intelligence-consciousness mediated by cultural and technological processes. In this work, I hoped to situate this new perspective in relation to alternative understandings about the future of civilization, most notably the postmodern understanding where multiplicity is emphasized over unity. However, I also hoped to situate this new perspective in relation to alternative understandings about future technological evolution, most notably the versions of technological singularity where artificial general intelligence is emphasized over transhuman possibilities.