The Future Path of Human Evolution and Development
Summary: Human evolution did not cease with the emergence of modern civilization; it continues through biological, technological, and cultural dimensions that shape our species in unprecedented ways. This essay examines potential trajectories for human development in the coming centuries, considering how genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, environmental pressures, and social changes might transform what it means to be human. By exploring both optimistic and cautionary scenarios, it encourages thoughtful consideration of the choices that will influence our evolutionary path.
Note: The following is a hypothesis or a metaphysical interpretation, not a scientific one, of how evolution may unfold in the future and how superhumans may evolve with bodies of pure intelligence. It is one of innumerable possibilities of how life may evolve and take shape not only on this planet but on other planets where life exists in some visible form or invisible state.
From a Hindu perspective, the ultimate purpose of evolution seems to be not the evolution of physical life, but the evolution of intelligence until it becomes self-existing without a gross body. This is evident from the classification of beings in the Puranas into Asuras (purely animalistic, gross, material beings), humans, and gods (ethereal beings illuminated by pure intelligence). The physical evolution, at best, is accessorial to aid and abet this process. It might have already happened in some parts of the universe, where civilization might have passed into subtle realms that are invisible to the naked eye.
In Hinduism, intelligence is considered the highest aspect of Nature. It is also the first to manifest. It has a universal aspect, called Mahat, which universally functions as a set of laws, processes, and principles, and an individualized aspect called buddhi, which manifests in the living beings as the executive functions of the mind, intelligence, or the discerning wisdom.
The nature of the Self is also pure intelligence. Brahman himself is considered pure intelligence (prajnanam Brahma). However, the eternal, indestructible intelligence of the Self is not the same as the intelligence of Nature. The intelligence of the Self is pure, eternal, and indestructible, while natural intelligence is subject to modifications, decay, and destruction. It is also subject to the influence of the triple modes of Nature, namely sattva, rajas, and tamas, which impart to it dynamism, individuality, and predictable patterns of behavior and modalities.
Origin and evolution of life upon Earth
If we believe in the physical, mental, and spiritual evolution of life on Earth, we can foresee the possibility of a bound soul (jiva) eventually ending up with just one subtle body of intelligence, which may have either the predominance of one of the three modes of Nature or a mixture of all three. With that, beings will be freed from the physicality, grossness, and limitations of their physical existence.
From the Samkhya school and from the Upanishads we understand that life manifests upon earth due to the involution of Nature from a state of singular, infinite reality, Mula Prakriti or Primal Nature, which is pure energy (Shakti), into multiple, finite realities (tattvas) namely the five elements (mahabhutas), 15 physical and subtle senses, mind, ego and intelligence. In the course of manifestation of life upon earth, these constituents of Nature combine in numerous permutations and combinations to create diverse life forms, from microorganisms to organisms with one or two senses to the highly evolved human beings with all the aspects of Nature functioning to their capacities.
Once the natural order of life forms is initiated, Nature sets in motion the transformation and evolution of individual beings. Through rebirth and the refinement of the tattvas of Nature, they further evolve from purely physical beings without any sense organs to mental and spiritual beings with well-developed bodies, in which all the tattvas manifest. Human beings stand at the peak of this process, since they are endowed with the highest intelligence and fully developed gross and subtle bodies. Only they can evolve further into beings of pure light and delight. Thus, with the manifestation of intelligent life forms, life comes to a full circle upon Earth.
Two possible courses of evolution
Evolution is a random process and may proceed in the future in many ways. However, we can broadly classify them into two: the dark paths and the bright ones. In the former, Nature may manifest increasingly dominant, destructive, cruel, and utterly selfish beings for whom survival means everything. In the latter case, the world may witness the emergence of divine beings who are endowed with the energy, light, and wisdom of the gods. Nature may take the former course if it is allowed to have its way, since the survival of the fittest and promoting efficiencies and survival instincts seem to be at the top of its agenda. In that scenario, you can expect the world to become increasingly chaotic with the predominance of rajas and tamas, and beings with demonic qualities. However, fortunately, human beings are endowed with the will and discretion of their own to choose what is good for them. If human beings use their discretion and put their moral and spiritual values as the guiding principles of their lives, they have a chance to alter the course of natural evolution and take it towards the brighter side to facilitate the emergence of superhumans who are filled with the light and wisdom of the gods.
Evolution of superhumans with bodies of pure intelligence
In Hinduism, we do not see creation as a one-time projection of God. We envision it as a continuous, cyclical process, in which modifications of Nature and transmigration of souls ensure the continuous and progressive evolution of the macrocosm. Involution of life forms into gross bodies constitutes the first phase of the cycle, and their evolution into subtle, or supra fine bodies, the second stage. In the final stage, beings will possess only intelligence bodies.
Human beings currently possess five bodies, namely the food body, the breath body, the mental body, the intelligence body, and the bliss body. Of them, the bliss body is an aspect or projection of the soul rather than Nature. Thus, in all, we may consider four natural bodies or sheaths forming part of each being, which are subject to natural modifications or evolutionary transformation. Of them, the food body is gross, and the other three are subtle.
In the first phase of evolution, these bodies become fully manifest in the beings in progressive stages, with their functionality reaching peak levels in humans. In future evolution, they may begin to weaken and disappear. Nature may gradually remove first the gross body, leaving the beings with the subtle bodies, namely the breath, mind, intelligence, and bliss bodies. In further evolution, it may also remove the breath and mental bodies, thus leaving the souls with just the intelligence body.
In that state, the individual souls will possess only intelligence bodies. Since intelligence body is an aspect of Nature, they will still experience duality, objectivity, and have their own identity and individuality. However, they will be purer and much more powerful. As their lower bodies disappear, so will be the problems associated with them, such as mortality, sickness, and aging.
Beings at that level may live for thousands of years, without suffering any decay or destruction. Since their bodies will be subatomic and very subtle, they may transcend the limitations of time and space and perceive the subtle worlds as naturally as we perceive the physical objects. They may also gain enormous supernatural powers, as pure intelligent beings, and manifest their will with unimaginable force, even though they may not possess any physical bodies.
As we have discussed before, such a possibility may arise not necessarily through the direct intervention of Nature, but indirectly through the intelligence of humans, for human intelligence is also an aspect of Nature only, and human beings may as well be instruments of Nature according to Nature's design to alter its natural course and create new opportunities and possibilities for the species to evolve. As we create machines to perform our tasks, Nature might have created humans not only to perform its tasks and implement its programs but also to speed up its processes and evolutional mechanism. If we go by the current developments in the field of Artificial Intelligence and biotechnology, it appears that we are already on the way towards this possibility. We may already be serving its purpose by trying to evolve artificial intelligence and creating robots with extraordinary intelligence.