Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Humans are obviously machines. If not, what are humans then? Fairies?

Now once you've recognized that, you're better equiped for task at hand - which is augmenting and ultimately automating away every task that humans-as-machines perform by building equivalent or better machine that performs said tasks at fraction of the cost!

People who want to exploit humans are the ones that oppose automation.

There's still long way to go, but now we've finally reached a point where some tasks that were very ellusive to automation are starting to show great promise of being automated, or atleast being greatly augmented.




Profoundly spiritual take. Why is that the task at hand?

The conceit that humans are machines carries with it such powerful ideology: humans are for something, we are some kind of utility, not just things in themselves, like birds and rocks. How is it anything other than an affirmation of metaphysical/theological purpose to particularly humans? Why is it like that? This must be coming from a religious context, right?

I cannot at least see how you could believe this while sustaining a rational, scientific mind about nature, cosmology, etc. Which is fine! We can all believe things, just know you cant have your cake and eat it too. Namely, if anybody should believe in fairies around here, it should probably be you!


> Why is that the task at hand?

Because it's boring stuff, and most of us would prefer to be playing golf/tennis/hanging out with friends/painting/etc. If you look at the history of humanity, we've been automating the boring stuff since the start. We don't automate the stuff we like.


Where's the spiritual part?

Recognizing that humans, just like birds are self-replicating biological machines is the most level-headed way of looking at it.

It is consistent with observations and there are no (apparent) contraditions.

The spritual beliefs are the ones with the fairies, binding of the soul, made of special substrate, beyond reason and understanding.

If you have desire to improve human condition (not everyone does) then the task at hand naturally arisies - eliminate forced labour, aging, disease, suffering, death, etc.

This all naturally leads to automation and transhumanism.


> Humans are obviously machines. If not, what are humans then? Fairies?

If humans are machines, then so are fairies.




Consider applying for YC's Fall 2025 batch! Applications are open till Aug 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: