~ Hell in a Handbasket ~
This lectorial covered technology in media. Dan showed us a couple of clips from an interactive game called ‘The Last of Us’.
We discussed whether technological determinism is a valid way of looking at the world. Technological determinism can be described as the theory that a societies values are driven by it’s technological development or evolution.
Are machines becoming too intuitive/intelligent?
People can view machines as being thinking things and having independent thoughts. However, machines are run purely on programs – they are syntactical things. Regardless of what people think about a machine’s intuition or intelligence – a machine cannot think for itself. Machines lack rationality and intuition, they don’t follow their own independent thoughts and it is impossible for them to ever have their own thoughts. They run off programs – even if a machine was programmed to have it’s own thoughts, it is still abiding by set of rules – they do not have free will to think like humans do.
A machine’s level of this ‘artificial intelligence’ or ‘intuition’ is reflective of the society’s level of technological development. We humans are so adept at creating machines to carry out actions, that some machines have been thought to be ‘thinking things’ do to their ability to pass a certain test (The Turing Test). However, even though certain machines are able to ‘pass’ this test – it is invalid to say they are thinking or have intuition. This is due to the fact that the machines have been crafted specifically to pass this test – they follow syntax and lack semantics – they have no emotions, no rationale – they are only too intelligent because we make them that way.
Innovation and Progress is hindered by scientific regulation
I agree, to an extent, with this statement. Of course innovation and progress is hindered by scientific regulation – it would be absurd to think otherwise. But, for the continuity of a society’s ethics, innovation must be regulated. Imagine everything that could be accomplished if we tested certain things on humans – but that is cruel and inhumane.
Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ sheds light on the prohibition of scientific growth through the devastation that occurs throughout her novel. She uses Frankenstein as a vehicle to deliver her critique on the consequences that arise after science goes too far. She discusses the idea that society must be ready for the innovations and progress that science wants to delve into – so, therefore, it must be regulated.