In Search of Well-Being: Humans with Advanced Augmented Capabilities in a Super-Connected World

Abstract

It is generally acknowledged that technological developments and human knowledge have been advancing in exponential rates. We are already living augmented lives in that we are reliant on the mobile and wearable devices for many aspects of our everyday activities, for work, learning, socializing, entertainment, health monitoring, etc. Many of these advanced technology products that were unimaginable a decade ago for the general public have now become very accessible in terms of cost, ease of use, channels of purchase and information. Such rapid advances come as a result of the super-connectivity that human society has never been exposed to until the recent decades, and this super-connectivity is also increasing at exponential rates. For a long time, national and supranational policy discourse related to technological advances (and the knowledge age) have mainly focused on economic competition, the need for building the necessary human resource capacity, and technological business infrastructures. However, the biggest impending challenge to any country or system may not be the speed of uptake or creative applications of the technology, but whether we are able to anticipate the implications of super-augmented and super-connected humans at the societal level. Super-connectivity has its advantages but may also bring uncontrollable disruptions that may threaten the fundamental values and well-being of our society. In this talk, the presentation will detail a complex system model to explore possible futures of a society of super-connected, super-augmented citizens, and how different sociotechnical infrastructures and strategies may affect the course of these futures.