Theoretical Questions re Technology

Technology moves fast, and films like Transcendence have got me thinking.

I read a lot of comic books, and one that I love is Hellblazer. In #7 Constantine asks his friend Ritchie to download his consciousness into his computer to hack into a network owned by a demonic cult called the Tongues of Fire. The cult causes Ritchie's body to spontaneously combust while his consciousness is still downloaded, without Ritchie knowing. When he gets back to his home computer Constantine doesn't tell him what has happened and instead turns the machine off from the socket assuming that will be the end (we have to assume it is).

Technology has begun to force us to make choices on things we've never had to think about.

If I were Constantine, perhaps I would have done the same thing. But what is the moral thing? Is telling the truth always morally right? Should we keep developing technology before we've decided what we would do in circumstances we can imagine, but have never encountered?

There are a few questions here, but my overall thought is that, though we cannot possibly imagine all the consequences of our technological progress, perhaps we should be thinking about how it might affect us.

There are a few questions here, but my overall thought is that, though we cannot possibly imagine all the consequences of our technological progress, perhaps we should be thinking about how it might affect us.

You just summed it up.

Its not as if those that create technology do not think about how it might effect us, but you simply cannot imagine every single consequence.

This doesnt simply start or end at technology.

I myself try to think about how my actions will effect people, but I cannot see every possible angle.

When the Wright Brothers helped develop flight, they couldnt have possibly predicted a consequence such as 9/11

Only hindsight is 20/20.

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Khaos wrote: Its not as if those that create technology do not think about how it might effect us, but you simply cannot imagine every single consequence.

This doesnt simply start or end at technology.

I myself try to think about how my actions will effect people, but I cannot see every possible angle.

When the Wright Brothers helped develop flight, they couldnt have possibly predicted a consequence such as 9/11

Only hindsight is 20/20.

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I agree. One thing extrapolated can cause all manner of consequences we can't imagine.
Perhaps it's more about our general attitude and less about specific circumstances.

I will say that most people are knee jerk dystopian and negative, an not just in regards to technology.

Especially because that makes for great movies and comic books.

Khaos wrote: I will say that most people are knee jerk dystopian and negative, an not just in regards to technology.

Especially because that makes for great movies and comic books.

Oh definitely, because positive and enjoyable futures make for boring entertainment!

Somebody told me this story (which I believe is from a book) about a group of scientists working on this supercomputer. One day the lead scientist discovered the computer was not responding to any commands. They spent hours staring at diagnostics until one scientist suggested, "Input 'please'" and the supercomputer responded as desired. The entire group looked at that one scientist and then back to the supercomputer in astonishment.

I believe we are like children playing with a complex version of Jenga and like some children, I do not believe we're prepared for what happens when the "tower" crumbles. I think we're developing at a reckless pace, though I am very much about the advancement of technology: I think we need to be more cautious and learn more before we just build all the stuff that we want to build.

Interesting, as other societies have crumbled without advanced technology just fine.

On top of that, is having to say please such a bad thing?

Again though, a typically negative view.

A better question is, how many people are truly educated enough on the subject of technology really?

Even those that use it for the most part have no idea bout how there tech works, nor keep up with science and technology.

As consumers, as a populace, there is a responsibility to be informed about that which is being researched and created.

You say "We need to be cautious and learn more."

How many people actually mean "we" or are going to put the work in?

Jamie Stick wrote: I think we're developing at a reckless pace, though I am very much about the advancement of technology: I think we need to be more cautious and learn more before we just build all the stuff that we want to build.

I think part of the problem with technology is as Khaos said before, we cannot possibly imagine what will happen in the future. We could fully understand the technology of now, but there's no way to really know how it's going to evolve. We might two things together and expect one result, only to get something completely different. There is always going to be some kind of risk, and sometimes we will just have to make a leap of faith and expect to make it to the other side.

I think that humans are still clinging as I said to old operating systems, religions and philosophies(some as old as the bronze age) and I am wondering how much that has to do with the predictably dystopian view that if we are really going to be honest is more an uneducated one.

You could say that the tech needs to slow down, but what about us speeding up and evolving our thought processes?

Such world models never accounted for the tech we have today or what we know.

Hell, most of them operated under the impression that we were the center of the universe.

You would have been killed for having a rotary phone(some of you are old enough to remember those) much less a cell phone.

A Lighter?

The internet would cause seizures and suicides back then, and yet, people use those world models as ways to live even to this day...

What if it is us that needs the upgrade as opposed to the tech...Just a thought

There is always going to be some kind of risk, and sometimes we will just have to make a leap of faith and expect to make it to the other side.

I do not know if its a matter of faith, its just that with, or without technology, you wont see all the repercussions until after the fact.

Khaos wrote: I do not know if its a matter of faith, its just that with, or without technology, you wont see all the repercussions until after the fact.

Perhaps faith was the wrong word. I meant pretty much what you said.