Freeman Dyson's Dangerous Naturalism

Abstract

The work is a critique of F. Dyson's book Imagined Worlds. The author of the book, awell-known American physicist, discusses in it, among others, the future of mankind, considered in a wide range of time: from ten to ten million years. Science dominates in his vision of future. In his opinion it will be the main factor of changes occurring on Earth, and then also beyond it, when people spread in the outer space. I do not like this vision of future, as Dyson treats people merely as biological objects that will be transformed as far as the progress of science will allow. His approach is illustrated by a discussion of three issues that constitute significant motifs of the book: genetic engineering, radiotelepathy and the problem of immortality of human individuals. Foreseeing a great development of natural sciences and of technology Dyson does not expect in future any mental or moral progress in people. For this reason I define his approach to people as dangerous naturalism.