Going Exponential
The concept of 'the singularity' - the point in time where the exponential growth of knowledge and scientific understanding becomes so far-reaching in its consequences that humanity as we know it goes through a fundamental change - kind of like a phase transition - is quite fascinating. The idea that the exponential improvement that we have seen in semiconductor technology, communication infrastructure, biotech and in-vivo imaging like MRI and PET scans will propel exponential improvements in research in neuroscience seems pretty compelling. It seems reasonable to expect that the understanding of how the brain works at a cellular level as well as at a modular level will naturally lead to true artificial intelligence. And that, once we understand how to create machines that can reason, learn, and improve upon their own design, machine and human co-evolution will also go exponential.
This application of neuroscience and computer science to understanding and modelling human perception, feeling and experience - the core of what it is to be human - totally intrigues me. It offers an interesting perspective on the world. I hope that what will happen is that humanity will realize its close bonds with the animals we have evolved along side of; we are kindred in the fluid grace of being that comes from evolving together, sharing the ecosystem and building off of the same set of 'discovered patterns' that have been proven to work through the ages and are written into our shared DNA. It seems, however, that as we integrate more and more completely with our machines, we are increasingly losing touch with the natural world, and are carelessly wiping out much of our natural heritage in the process.
So what does all of this have to do with music?? I guess it's kicked off some kind of emotional / intellectual reaction in me that engages both the rational and creative sides of my brain, and that often gets expressed musically for some reason. Don't really understand the 'why' behind it at all. All I know is that it is compelling, intriguing, fascinating and, really, that's enough.
Discovering lots of metaphors in the music. The intro starts with the human voice, and this is soon accompanied by a flanged 'machine noise' that builds up in intensity exponentially until -- BOOM -- you're into the first verse. Another metaphor is the morphing of the human voice into machine sounds. Also the reflection of the lyrics ('Science and tech, like a supersonic jet') in the soundscape where the flanged noise sounds like a jet taking off and going through a sonic boom. And the musical chaos as the song hits the 'singularity' point of the solo. Tons of fun! More to come.
