Digital immortality as a logical step in human evolution is one of the possible outcomes of gradually increasing technological advance. This, and the idea that the human race cannot evolve any further in the traditional sense lead to assuming that the next step would be to transcend beyond human bodies of flesh to something much more complex, although much simpler substantially. Savin-Baden, Burden, and Taylor (2017) define digital immortality as “the continuation of an active or passive digital presence after death” (p. 178). This concept may sound simple, but it is much harder to achieve than to define. It would require a vast amount of computing power to recreate just one human brain with all of its complexity and – most importantly – ability to think in unconventional ways.
The problem with this concept is that it is highly likely to be impossible. Parkin (2015), in his article published on BBC website, states that “the idea that a memory could prove so enduring that it might grant its holder immortality is a romantic notion that could only be held by a young poet, unbothered by the aches and scars of age” (para. 7). Although there is no way to be sure about such things as what to expect from the near future, many researchers agree that technological progress will continue to gain speed and scale as the history unfolds rapidly. If the concept of digital immortality proves to be possible and achievable, humankind may solve a significant number of problems that may lead to extinction. However, if human ceases to be human in a traditional way, will it be possible to say that the race did not become extinct? Right now, there is only a possibility to theorize.
References
Parkin, S. (2015). Back-up brains: The era of digital immortality. Web.
Savin-Baden, M., Burden, D., & Taylor, H. (2017). The ethics and impact of digital immortality. Knowledge Cultures, 5(2), 178-196.