Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Singularity
Singularity is a word gaining traction and entrance into the vocabulary of many in the world. It is the calculated prediction that artificial intelligence will overrun humanity due to the accelerated progress of technology. Ray Kurzweil, a famous futurist, says "we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century - it will be more like 20,000 years" (The Singularity isn't Near). As an average "human" likely to be alive in 2045, the predicted year of the event, I'm still deciding my thoughts on the matter. It makes me wonder, what do we as a race define as "progress" anymore? What is it we're seeking? And as far-fetched as the suspected singularity may sound, what if our greed for technology does cost us our existence? Is it preposterous to organize efforts to slow the progress of technology? Time only will reveal the answer to these questions and I am quite excited to be along for the ride.
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That certainly is a really interesting idea. I personally don't think artificial intelligence will overrun humanity by the year 2045, but with the rapid advancement in technology who can really say?
ReplyDeleteI've recently been asking myself a different question: Will technology make us immortal as a race? Maybe it's the sci-fi lover in me, but it's possible that technology will allow us to colonize other world, making humanity essentially immortal. I recently did a post on this topic.
ReplyDeleteI do not think we can stop progress of technology. It would continue going forward, even though I believe it is impossible to know what all this will lead to. But thinking that it might prove the end to our species, that's a very sobering thought. From a religious perspective though, this apocalyptic scenario seems unlikely
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if computers and technology will ever get to the point where they take over the world. I do believe that technology will continue to progress however cognition and feelings are things that just cannot be replicated via technology.
ReplyDeleteEach company that's progressing technology is just making profit-maximizing decisions. I don't think there's much we can do. Maybe start taxing new technological devices? That would certainly slow down adoption of new products, thus lower profits, and thereby decrease R & D, but I don't think that would really be a good solution.
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