IST 1100 Module 12

I wasn’t familiar with the acronym GNR. I have of course heard of its three components: genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics, but I was not aware of their specific ties. There have been large strides made in each of these areas over the past several decades. Artificial intelligence, automation, biotechnology, and genetic manipulation and understanding has all seen large strides made. This specific article was written 15 years ago so we have had a chance to see how things have developed since then. To summarize the author’s feelings about GNR and its potentially negative effect on the future, Joy discusses some of his colleagues opinions and predictions about the future, many of which he thought only existed in science fiction. Joy’s colleagues Ray and John had both been on a panel discussing robotics and certain human elements that they thought with time would begin to merge. The ideas they put forth were startling to Joy. They painted a picture of a future society ran by machines, machines that could think for themselves and do anything a human could do better and more efficiently. The machines would become so advanced that no human effort would be needed or wanted. 

 There were two schools of thought, one was where there were a few “Elites,” people who controlled the robots and they worked for them. In this scenario the non elites would either be treated almost like cattle, basically having little purpose, or they would be exterminated, seeing that their existence was superfluous. The second scenario put the computers in charge, they had become so intelligent that decisions necessary to keep the complex system running would be so difficult to solve that only the computers could do it.  This is the basis of many science fiction films, to see the rise of machines and the oppression of the human race at the hands of artificial intelligence, but is it realistic? 

 Another element of the talk that Joy had with his colleagues that made him uncomfortable was the idea of nanotechnology and robotics being used to make humans nearly immortal. Being able to replace worn out biological aspects of human beings with artificial ones. I presume that what you believe is really what would dictate one's feelings on the subject. Perhaps Joy felt that tampering with life in such a manner is unethical or not intended by a higher power. If one's beliefs are more along the lines of survival of the fittest and darwinism, using mechanics to extend one's life is only another form of evolution. We evolved to the intelligent state we are in, used that intelligence to invent ways to improve our lifespan, and integrated those things with our own physical bodies. Sounds like we just moved evolution along a little bit. 

 So now for my thoughts, what do I think about these predictions? And are they realistic or justified? My feeling is no, this dystopian scenario is not something I ever see being a reality. Computers can get faster and more capable every day, but that jump to one being self aware and making decisions on its own is one I am confidant will never happen. The question was posed: “What should we do?” I don’t feel it’s something that we even need to worry about. Life is unique and I believe by design, intelligence and awareness are, in my opinion, not created. Matter can be manipulated and formed but the core component that makes us human, intelligent humans, is something that cannot be artificial. I admit that I could be wrong, maybe one day we will see robots like c3po on star wars. An artificially intelligent robot that can respond like a human being to questions asked and even feel and think for itself. But until that day I will hold to what I think our future holds and that is faster better more powerful computers but not humanoids like the terminator.