Post by lvenegas9 on Oct 15, 2016 23:07:20 GMT
Week 6 & 7
1. Do you think artificial intelligence will be a significant problem in the future?
The human species has evolved significantly enough to produce complex machines that help make our lives easier. I believe if these machines do attain artificial intelligence, it will create an enormous amount of conflict in our world, but I also think that this would be the next step in our evolution as a species. I agree with Andreas Diem-Lane’s comment in the book Einstein’s Wastebasket which states “Once they achieve human level intelligence and then super intelligence our role and position on this planet may forever change, for the better or for the worse”(page 35). Just like the human race has evolved enough to develop the ability to question our own existence, I believe artificial intelligence would also eventually attain this achievement and would eventually start to question their existence and start to ask “why”. This would be one big conflict that would arise from artificial intelligence. One benefit from A.I. would be the formation of a faster and more efficient advancement in science. From curing diseases to solving and explaining quantum physics, there would be no limits to how far we could advance as a species. One benefit is also mentioned in the book Einstein’s Wastebasket which states” For instance, interfacing technology with neural tissue may allow for prosthetics to be controlled by the brain”(page 67). This would not only allow for the restoration of our human body, but also a restoration in a more superior way.
2. How has technology impacted your life?
I believe technology has pretty much taken over my life. As mentioned in the video Global Positioning Intelligence, “Already almost anybody with a smart phone (android or apple or otherwise) won't leave home without one and if they do somehow forget their intelligent devices they will invariably turn their cars around to go secure it”, I too would turn back to retrieve my smart phone, no matter the difficulty. It has become a necessity for me to have the entire world’s information within reach and in the palm of my hand. From the smart alarm that will not shut off until I complete a complex math problem, to the television that helps me wind down and sleep then shuts itself off, my entire day is overly dependent on technology. I cannot begin to imagine the difficulties that would arise if technology would somehow cease to exist. It is a terrifying reality knowing how dependent we are on such an immense achievement from the human race, but technology is also an essential stage in the progression of our evolution. Futurist Ray Kurzweil mentioned in his video The Coming Singularity “Ever since we picked up a stick to reach a higher branch, we’ve used our tools to extend our reach”. Technology is another tool we can utilize to further our knowledge and allow for the advance of our evolution.