Promise And Peril Ray Kurzweil Analysis

In his work, “Introduction: Nanotechnology, Society, and Ethics”, CalPoly Associate Professor of Philosophy Patrick Lin writes, “Let’s take a step back and consider any given technology we have created: gunpowder, the printing press, the camera, the automobile, nuclear power, the computer, Prozac, Viagra, the mobile phone, the Internet. Undoubtedly, these have brought us much good, but each has also changed society in important, fundamental ways and caused new problems, such as increased pollution, urban sprawl, cyber-crimes, privacy concerns, intellectual property concerns, drug dependencies, new cases of sexually-transmitted diseases, other unintended health problems, mutually-assured destruction and much more. The point here is not that we would have been better off without these inventions. Rather, we should come to terms that our creations can have unintended or unforeseen consequences” (Lin, n.d., p. 1). Lin’s point goes across the board for all technologies, there will be unforeseen consequences, some will be good and some will certainly be perceived as bad.

Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron and Ray Bradbury’s Marionettes, inc. both show that although advances in technology can be used for good, it always ends up doing more harm than good. Marionettes, inc. is about a guy who keeps a clone of himself in his toolbox, only to have his clone retaliate by locking him in the toolbox at the end of the story. Harrison Bergeron talks about a future where everyone is equal in every possible which way. Although both stories showcase that technology ultimately does more harm than good; one talks about everyone being equal, and the other shows what happens when advanced technology is mistreated.

Freeman Dyson's essay/lecture "Technology and Social Justice" details the scientist and social philosopher's overall view on technology and how it can be used to face the problems of modern civilization. Insisting that poverty can be significantly diminished if not eradicated through the use of certain technologies, Dyson's vision seems almost na誰ve in its vision of the utopia that could be produced with the combination of solar energy, genetic engineering, and the Internet (Dyson, 1997). This is especially true when one considers the pessimistic yet well-supported view that technology ahs actually done more to harm and oppress the lower classes of society than it has to make them freer or more capable of living fulfilling and happy lives. Dyson addresses this pessimism and the logic behind it, even making certain concessions regarding the claims made by those less enthusiastic about technology's progress, but ultimately provides a convincing argument in support of technology as a tool for fighting social injustice and establishing greater equality.

In chapter six of Radical Evolution, author Joel Garreau shows through various interviews and examples that even though technology may be rising on an exponentially increasing Curve, humans may still be able to change the effects of technological advance in unpredictable ways. Deemed the Prevail scenario, it is also characterized by humans slowing down once-viewed inevitable change viewed as negative and speeding up positive change. Another great theme of the Prevail Scenario is its idea that technological advance will enable humans to acquire a better understanding of their society and nature. In addition to discussing the Prevail scenario, Garreau also discusses the possible change humans

Throughout history, with every technological breakthrough, innovation or revolution, people have always imagined possible futures that new technologies at hand might bring about. It can make an important role in shaping the ways we imagine the future of humanity since the beginning of time, man has attempted to avoid the inevitable. In the endless pursuit of perfection, man has try enhance human capability which can alter human functioning beyond the normal whatever we think about them, enhancements are going to happen. It can help people in the medical field which can lead to an advancement in medicine to being able to life forever, also on how technology can help in the field of education from what types of technology can be used to educated

What can be admired in this article is Joy’s attitude toward both humanity and technology. He understands that humanity cannot withstand a powerful transition of life. He also understands the value of technology has had on this planet. All the good it has done to our health and our society, but recognizes when enough is enough. It seems as though Joy tried to look at all the angles when considering the relinquishment of technology. He paints a clear picture that human beings cannot coexist peacefully as superior beings. Only one superior being cam exist, and if we continue with this progression of technology, he is afraid that it will not be us. Joy wants everyone to understand that when people start to create machine technology to think like us, they are playing with fire. Joy’s article can be taken as a warning (maybe even as insight) or paranoia, it all depends on how people view and feel about the progression of

As our innovative world is rapidly moving into the future, technology is being invented and innovated at every turn. This technology ranges from top-notch video game systems to microscopic robots made to perform internal surgery. Although these impressive technological improvements were recently made, they are not entirely beneficial because this technology damages our social and learning skills, while also damaging us as humans.

Techno-optimist or techno-pessimist? That is the question. Technology throughout time has no doubt changed our way of life. Travelling to destinations quicker, curing new diseases, or figuring out how to cease a wide famine are examples of how technology has made advances over time. The solutions that scientists create spark a tool that others cannot live without. But what if these technologies bring out negative effects rather than their desired purpose? Sometimes, innovators create new inventions that bring unintended consequences. It could range from less communication face to face, side effects from new medicines, or pollute the earth’s atmosphere.

The world must face the following reality: enhancement technologies – those that would enhance the quality of human health and human abilities – will have the potential to be made. Technologies such as those will better the lives of those who choose to receive those enhancements. Let’s suppose that these technologies will be available to everyone and not change human nature or undermine morality. If that occurred, then the following scenario and conclusion would result:

In contemporary technological society, one manifestation is in notions of endless human evolution and improvement - the attitude that “the sky’s the limit” to human endeavour, which finds an echo in the Old Testament story of the tower of Babel project. Some of the more extravagant claims for the potential of genetics see the human genome project as a further step along the road of human autonomy and mastery over nature. Another basic distortion is the tendency to evaluate all things in a material and economic frame of reference, seeing the

In many popular science fiction novels, people can read about a future full of fantastic gadgets, advanced artificial intelligences, and superhuman cyborgs. Although some of these things may seem far-fetched, with recent scientific advancements, it may soon be possible for people to enjoy some the amazing technologies that they read about, such as life-extension therapies or cybernetic implants. A new philosophy known as Transhumanism has emerged in response to these innovations and has embraced this vision of a death-free future populated by enhanced posthumans. However, although many of these technologies have an enormous potential to improve the human condition, it is essential that we as a species practice discretion and moderation as

Of the $700 million in funding that the National Nanotechnology Institute (NNI) received in 2003, less than $500,000 was spent on the study of how Nanotechnology could affect the environment. But typical to today’s culture the immediate payback doesn’t come from risk studies, as it does from how we can potentially cure diseases. When in the long run a little robot just might be able to cause a disease. Just as much as the public wants to know the risks the scientists working on the project have even more to lose from a fear of the unknown (Colvin).

In a society where technology has advanced we will get to a period where the human body will pose limitations, where we will need to use technology to significantly modify our biological constraints. Post humanism is a change in understanding of the self and the relation we have to the natural world (Haley 1992:12). We will not discard ourselves but rather become more than we currently are. In the next few decades’ computer intelligence will exceed that of humans (Haley 1992:1). We already have technologies that can replace many of our vital organs and as technology advances we move closer towards a posthuman age, where the body will no longer be a necessity but rather a swift towards computer stimulated machines. Opportunities will arise for human conditions to be modified using technologies such as genetic engineering, changing the nature of human life and human society.

The age of technology is at its prime high with improvements in the fields of biomedical engineering, information technology and nanotechnology. However, this great power comes with great responsibility, as scientists and researchers notice how the growth of technology can potentially introduce the concept of transhumanism. It may not seem such a daunting problem as we are so normalized with living alongside technological devices from motor vehicles to our most used and loved cellular devices. We don’t recognize how often and reliant we are to these accessible devices which leads to the point where we are overwhelmed with its mass use. We can acknowledge this growth through examining the proponents of transhumanism, the critique presented by Allenby and Sarewitz in The Techno-Human Condition on Transhumanism, and why solving the problem of aging and life extension could challenge humanity in the 21st century.

Nowadays, people cannot see themselves without technology. Over the past few decades, there has been an enormous advancement in technologies related to science. Because of it, people has been benefiting from the good outcomes it resulted from. Many studies have been made on how to evolve and enable the bounds that would help everybody. The next step in human evolution may not be biological but technological; by merging ourselves with machines that augment and enhance our physical and perceived reality. But this is no small feet because the human form is the product of billions of years of natural selection. That is why innovators are looking to nature for inspiration to bridge the gap between men and machine.