published: November 2, 2024
The Future of Intelligence
When we think about the future, it often seems tied to technology. But what is technology, really? One way to look at it is as a combination of matter, energy, and intelligence. Technology happens when we use our knowledge to apply energy to materials, turning them into tools that help us achieve what we want or need.
In the beginning, humans created simple tools to make life easier. They used rocks, sticks, and bones, shaping them to scrape, cut, gather, or hunt. Physical effort was the only energy source, fueled by food, and combined with basic problem-solving, people worked to improve their lives.
A major step forward came when humans started using animals for work. Horses, oxen, and donkeys provided extra strength to carry loads, travel faster, and do more than humans alone could manage. This extra energy opened up new possibilities.
Most progress in technology has come from new ways to use materials and energy. Metalworking made strong tools; pottery and glass changed daily life. Later, materials like plastics, fiberglass, and semiconductors pushed technology even further.
Energy sources also changed as we learned more. Fire was the first breakthrough, allowing us to cook food, stay warm, and ward off predators. Cooking made digestion easier and provided extra nutrients, which helped with brain development. Later, people built tools like water wheels and windmills to harness nature’s power, while steam engines marked a huge leap by using heat energy to do heavy work. Electricity then changed almost everything, making it possible to power many parts of life. Today, renewable sources like solar and wind, along with better batteries, continue to improve technology.
At first, technology was mostly about helping our bodies do more. Our minds were strong, but our bodies had limits. Using simple materials and energy, humans developed tools that let us go beyond those limits.
Language was one of the earliest and most important tools. It allowed people to share ideas and work together. Without language, each mind would be isolated, unable to communicate. As ideas spread, they turned into knowledge that could be shared and built upon. Media, like books, radio, and the internet, play a big role in how we share these ideas. Social media, for example, has allowed more people to share their voices than ever before, though this has both positive and negative effects.
Over time, we’ve moved from using tools to help our bodies to using them to help our minds. Early calculators made basic math easier, and computers let us do even more complex tasks. The internet connected people across the world, allowing us to share information instantly. Today, AI has pushed things even further, doing things we can’t always understand. Our tools are now able to solve problems that are beyond our own mental limits.
Still, technology is not just a result of materials, energy, and knowledge. Social and cultural factors influence which technologies succeed and which don’t. Economics also plays a role; for a new invention to become part of daily life, it usually needs to make financial sense. Rules and regulations set limits, too, deciding which technologies are acceptable and which are not.
The growth of technology shows how much people want to make life better. Little by little, humans have found ways to improve their surroundings, making life easier and more comfortable. Now, though, we might be at a turning point, where technology could advance to a level that doesn’t rely on us. It will still need matter, energy, and intelligence—but maybe not our own.