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So along come two possible replacements Homo optimus, with a genetically-enhanced brain, and Homo hybridus, a cyber human. Reminiscent of the trans-human ideas of the 90s, in which people were to replace the organism with high tech machinery.

If you’re concerned about genetic panel beating, going to Radio Shack every so often for a new cerebrum or turning into a quasi-Borg, you’ve got reasons to be doubtful. The brain may be organically a common factor among humans, same size, volumes, species, etc, but the way it’s used differs vastly between individuals. I’ve mediated between people who literally would need an interpreter to communicate, while both speaking the same language.

The current state of the human brain has just recently revolutionized the world. We are now living in a museum of our own making. Language, technology, lifestyle, just about every facet of human existence has changed more in the last 20 years than in the last hundred. Even the terminology to describe the changes didn’t exist.

Predictions were way off, except for the one about a lot of personal hardware like media players. I have a feeling that custom built brains will have a few glitches, too.

Maybe now would be a good time to start thinking about what we are, as much as who we are?