Avi1001
reform Jew humanist liberal feminist entrepreneur
Are you fearful of advances in science and engineering?
Americans wary of futuristic science, tech - CNN.com
Americans wary of futuristic science, tech - CNN.com
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Another Science Thread
- Thread starter Avi1001
- Start date
I'm not fearful of "advances" in science, technology, or engineering. What I'm fearful is of people looking at things as "advances" instead of understanding that all things have associated costs. What I'm fearful of is that humans that fail to understand what is lost from adopting "advances."
What I'm fearful of is mindless hedonism displayed by many technophiliacs – the unrestrained use of technology by an overpopulated ecosystem engineer that has already spiraled the biosphere into another mass extinction event and what is likely to be catastrophic global climatological change.
What I'm fearful of is mindless hedonism displayed by many technophiliacs – the unrestrained use of technology by an overpopulated ecosystem engineer that has already spiraled the biosphere into another mass extinction event and what is likely to be catastrophic global climatological change.
Avi1001
reform Jew humanist liberal feminist entrepreneur
Hey Quint, my concerns are similar, but a bit different. I think most scientists and engineers are cautious and respectful of our environment and the human population. My concern is more for the arrogant and greedy leaders who will not move quickly to correct problems that are arising. Two examples are the melting ice sheets in the Antarctic shell, and the growing ozone hole. These are due to global warming and green house gases.
That's fair. It's when thing get unleashed to the less discerning masses that things become more troublesome. Sometimes I wonder if we should replace our mode of governance with a technocracy, but I'm not convinced that would be a solution.
Avi1001
reform Jew humanist liberal feminist entrepreneur
It looks like we have a lot to learn about living with robots:
Americans optimistic about flying cars, not so much about robot caregivers - CSMonitor.com
Americans optimistic about flying cars, not so much about robot caregivers - CSMonitor.com
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Go Japan.
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
I'm wary about the idiots that think these things will go unregulated more than I am the progression of technology.
Hell no. I'm all for advances in technology. I'm a transhumanist.
Sultan Of Swing
Well-Known Member
Technology is great... except when its used for bad things. The people are the problem, not the technology itself.
With the potential end of Moore's Law up on the horizon, perhaps in the next decade or so, it is interesting to see where technology may go. There will come a point, perhaps within the next 20 years, where computers will stop getting faster. Processors will reach a finite speed. How humanity develops from here is something to watch.
Unless, of course, someone manages to find a way around the current problems of quantum tunnelling and other atomic difficulties and is able to continue Moore's Law through some other means rather than making transistors smaller and smaller.
Either way, the world of technology is about to become very interesting, more so than usual. Either with some new revolution in processing power or with the complete standstill of actually making faster processors, both of which would of course have huge knock-on effects for the rest of the technological world. I don't think the public is properly aware yet of how in the next few decades computers could very well hit a finite wall, and we won't be seeing the rapid growth that we're used to.
With the potential end of Moore's Law up on the horizon, perhaps in the next decade or so, it is interesting to see where technology may go. There will come a point, perhaps within the next 20 years, where computers will stop getting faster. Processors will reach a finite speed. How humanity develops from here is something to watch.
Unless, of course, someone manages to find a way around the current problems of quantum tunnelling and other atomic difficulties and is able to continue Moore's Law through some other means rather than making transistors smaller and smaller.
Either way, the world of technology is about to become very interesting, more so than usual. Either with some new revolution in processing power or with the complete standstill of actually making faster processors, both of which would of course have huge knock-on effects for the rest of the technological world. I don't think the public is properly aware yet of how in the next few decades computers could very well hit a finite wall, and we won't be seeing the rapid growth that we're used to.
Sultan Of Swing
Well-Known Member
Oh I agree that real human contact is always better than some simulated life or telephone call through something like Skype. The great outdoors is wonderful, and no technology is going to beat its beauty. Nevertheless, public demand for faster gadgets and computers drives technology forward, not to mention humanity's general interest in discovering and inventing new things, which is a beautiful part of nature in itself.
illykitty
RF's pet cat
I'm not really that much of an outdoors or sporty sort but I know what you mean. But I can conjure up situations where it could be a "good" thing...
Consider this scenario, climate change changes the world as we know it. You might live in a place that becomes, at times, unpleasant. Virtual reality gives you that beautiful outdoors experience again that you can no longer enjoy.
Would it still be considered a bad thing to you or something you would refuse to use?
Consider this scenario, climate change changes the world as we know it. You might live in a place that becomes, at times, unpleasant. Virtual reality gives you that beautiful outdoors experience again that you can no longer enjoy.
Would it still be considered a bad thing to you or something you would refuse to use?
I can and do refuse but not enough people do. I will be on the trails or my bike; I will be in the park or fishing all alone. Once virtual reality becomes feesible I believe 90% of the US will never see the sun. They fear the outside, they fear some one will hurt them and they fear real change. So they will make a safe world they can live in where no one gets really hurt, yet they can pretend experience it. I have a great imagination that can make me happy but it never equals my experiences in reality.
There are other problems that would occur. Physical body failures, Government control, Mental problems and Emotional problems would all become the normal for these Virtual people.