Technology vs Humanity

Emily, Paul, Chisa, Marcus, Michael, Isabella, Leah

Introduction

“How can humanness prevail in the face of exponential and all-encompassing technological change?”

Radical Shifts in Human History:

● Wood● Stone● Bronze● Iron● Steam

● Electricity● Factory Automation● The Internet● ???

Introduction (Cont’d)

Goal of this book:

● To facilitate debate on how we should move forward● NOT to celebrate or lament the technological revolution

“Just because we can doesn’t mean we should”

Ch1 - A Prologue to the FutureGerd - Tries to understand, imagine, and immerse himself in the near future.

Future does not just happen. We are responsible for every decision we make.

3 Key Words

-Exponential

-Combinatorial

-Recursive

Transhumanism - a belief where the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations with the help of science and technology.

-Protagonist vs Humanist

Ch2 - Tech VS. UsWhat defines being human?

Power comes with consequences.

-Oil companies

Could we end up preferring technology over humanity?

-Digital assistants

-3D printed food

-Traveling to virtual worlds

-Serviced by robots

Ch3 - The Megashifts

● Defined: represents a huge evolutionary step for society, one that may seem gradual, but then has a very sudden impact

● Clash between man and machine ● 10 major megashifts:

➢ Digitization: everything that can be digitized, will be○ Example: collecting CD’s downloading Spotify○ Pros: cheaper goods, improved availability○ Cons: fewer jobs, lower wages

➢ Mobilization: connectivity is the new oxygen, computing is the new water○ Example: kindle for books, Google maps, mobile banking○ Pros: Unlimited connectivity and accessibility ○ Cons: lack of privacy, trackable, manipulated

➢ Screenification: anything that used to be consumed as print on paper is now migrating to a screen

○ Example: Phone calls made over a telephone Facetime, Skype○ Pros: Low cost, long lasting, more interconnected○ Cons: More addictive, might be difficult to sense reality

➢ Disintermediation: cuts out the middle-man by going direct○ Example: Airbnb enables us to book directly with private residences without a need for hotel○ Pros: Inspires innovation○ Cons: tests human values, loss of jobs

➢ Transformation: digital transformation ○ Example: Social media ○ Pros: Efficiency ○ Cons: being physically separate to being directly connected to computers and devices

➢ Intelligization: things are becoming intelligent○ Example: advancement of artificial intelligence○ Pros: machines are now able to understand their surroundings and think for itself○ Cons: giving them massive amounts of processing power

➢ Automation: digitize, make it intelligent, then automate and virtualize it○ Example: substitute humans with machines○ Pros: hyper-efficiency○ Cons: at whose cost?

➢ Virtualization: creating a nonphysical, digital version○ Example: routers and switchers the cloud○ Pros: cost saving and faster services○ Cons: “software will soon eat biology”

➢ Anticipation: computers can anticipate our needs before we may realize it○ Example: GoogleHome can notify delayed flights○ Pros: anticipates any changes in a daily schedule, crime prevention○ Cons: Dependency, confusion, loss of control

➢ Robotization: embodiment of all megashifts○ Example: natural language understanding, image recognition, new materials○ Pros: price will decrease as their usefulness will skyrocket○ Cons: ethical issues

Ch4 - Automating Society

● To automate: act of oneself, act unadvisedly

● Progression in these areas:

1. Automation2. Assentation3. Abdication

○ Abdicating responsibilities that used to be ours, and offloading or outsourcing them to technology

○ Example: reading signs GPS

4. Aggravation5. Abomination

Finding a Balance

❖ Debate between the need for human values➢ Human understanding and empathy➢ Example: Would you trust a fully automated, pilotless cockpit?

❖ We will eventually need to automate ourselves➢ Removing tedious human tasks like pondering, discussion, emotions➢ If we allow us to abdicate all authority to technology, humans will be dispensable

Ch5 - The Internet of Inhuman Things

● The Internet of Things (IoT)○ The inter-networking of physical devices, buildings, vehicles, or other items via the Internet

■ Embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data

● Could the IoT turn us into things?○ Efficiency would likely trump humanity at every turn

● Who is in control?○ Today we have standards, guidelines, agreements, & treaties

■ Biotechnology & bioengineering● Guidelines on recombinant DNA

■ Nuclear nonproliferation treaties■ Data & Intelligence?

● What should we do?○ Take precautions to ensure a balance that will not stifle human development or innovation

Ch6 - Magic to Manic to Toxic

● “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur Clarke○ Online shopping, mobile apps, self-driving cars, intelligent digital assistants (ex: Siri), & etc.

● “A-bomb challenges”○ Albert Einstein contributed to the development of the atomic bomb, despite being against it○ “If we don’t do this, someone else (and probably someone evil) surely will & we will be left behind.”

● “Technology is neither good, nor bad; it simply is. We must–now and here–decide and agree which exact use is evil or not.”

○ Ethical guidelines? Who will be in charge? How will everyone agree?

● Magical explosion○ As technology rapidly advances, so will our problems regarding abuse/evil use of a given technology

● Growth of intelligent digital assistants○ Creates a sense of separation from the world/human experiences○ Security/privacy risks & developing relationships with screens vs. people

● Second nature○ We should not let technology become more than second nature for the sake of our human happiness

Ch7 - Digital Obesity: Our Latest Pandemic

What is digital obesity?

- Digital obesity is a mental and technological condition in which data, information, media, and general digital connectedness are being accumulated to such an extent that they are certain to have a negative effect on health?

Should we be concerned with digital nutrition as much as we are about bodily nutrition?

- Cisco believes that by 2020, 52% of of the global population will be connected to the internet.

The question is no longer if we can, but if we should?

Ch8 - Precaution vs. Proaction

Precaution

- Those who create things with potential catastrophic consequences must not proceed until they have proven that unintended consequences can be controlled.

Should we restrain science, inventors, and entrepreneurs if the resulting inventions are likely to have a materially adverse impact on humanity?

- Creating AI to help with world issues such as famine

Ch8 - Precaution vs. Proaction

Proaction

- Since the idea of transhumanism is based on the concept of transcending our biology, uninhibited proactivity is naturally part of the story.

But imagine the consequences of being too proactive.

- We don’t want AI that only meets short term goals, while creating long term problems, or resulting in solutions that we would object to.

There is too much at stake to proceed with unrestrained technological enthusiasm.

- We cannot dismiss the risks of innovation.- -How will our decisions impact the generations to follow?

Ch9 - Taking the Happenstance out of Happiness

● Primary purpose of tech. Progress

○ The pursuit of maximum human happiness and human flourishing (Unity)

● What is Happiness? (TWO different types of happiness:)

○ Hedonic happiness: positive mental high point (temporary, pleasure)

■ Ex. (addictions to) food, alcohol, smoking, fb (pleasure trap—self presentation)

○ Eudaimonic happiness: a kind of deeper happiness and contentment

■ “Human flourishing”

Ch9 - Continued

● To achieve a more human centric measurement of progress, we need something that puts happiness squarely in the center of measuring progress and value. ○ ---> combination of GPI + GNH > GDP, GNP (<-outdated)○ If we continue measure the wrong things, we most likely also continue to

DO the wrong things.

● Human happiness should be the primary purpose of technology.○ Soon tech will be used to improve humans themselves○ used to be:create tech for improving our life conditions○ Now: tech is becoming a purpose in itself.

(Ex. FB--we find ourselves trying to get more “LIKES”)

Ch9 - Continued

● Significance of considering the side effects on human flourishing by technology ○ Ex) whether we should extend human longevity by technology ○ Good: gene-editing technologies may help to end cancer, alzheimer’s○ Side effects: programmable babies, dramatically increased longevity○ “Everything is a business opportunity—even human happiness!”○ Hedonic pleasure are a side-product of a larger flourishing (eudaimonia)○ (social networks—hedonistic happiness generators)

● Why and To what purpose? ○ Well being: the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy

Ch10 - Digital Ethics

● What are ethics?= “How one should live” (morals, values, assumptions)● Important to consider what the ethical frameworks should be for all

exponential technologies (including AI, geo-engineering, cognitive computing, and human genome editing)

● Need to define a set of bottom-line digital ethics…● The idea of Ultra-efficiency (Human worthy purpose =waste of time?)

○ Company who hire people rather than machines: tax credits to people○ Company who employ machines: automation taxes for companies that

dramatically reduce the # of employees in favor of machines and software)

Ch10 Continued

○ What should the robot do if the patient refuses to take her medication?○ Retail banking and transportation become 32x as efficient, cheaper,○ What if you will pay a penalty if you want to see your doctor in person

rather than using the remote diagnosis device○ Not having your car tracked at all time will mean you will lose your

insurance coverage○ Exogenesis: pregnancy outside the womb, babies born in labs.

→ Even deeper inequality driven by exponential technological gains

● Efficiency is not the most important and worthy and human goal! (≠happy)● Primary questions in tech ---> why, when, where and by whom it should be

done > something can be done

Ch11 - Earth 2030: Heaven or Hell?

Do we welcome change at the cost of our lifestyle?

2020: Hyperconnectivity & hyper-manipulation -> A connected and smarter world

2022: The cloud connects everything -> Our personalities are in the cloud

2024: The loss of privacy/anonymity -> Machines read our minds via data mining

2026: Automation and guaranteed basic income -> Job loss and change in social norms

Ch11 - Continued

2028: Free will is only for the rich -> Our lives become tracked and guided

2030: 90 is the new 60 -> Society lives longer and is liberated from work

“HellVen” - Mankind controls its own future

Ch12 - Decision Time

The 9 suggested principles

1. Understand exponentiality2. Turn challenges to opportunities3. Become better stewards of Humanity4. Keep society ethical5. Balance technological growth6. Teach STEM and CORE (Compassion, Originality, Reciprocity, and Empathy)7. Distinguish what is real and what is a simulation8. Ask why and who are affected by technology, not just if or how9. Not allow technology to control humanity

Ch12 - Continued

7 essential questions

1. Will this inadvertently or intentionally diminish humanity?2. Will this further true human happiness?3. Will there be unintended disastrous side effects?4. Will this technology give too much authority to machines?5. Will this technology allow us to transcend it or make us dependent on it?6. Will humans need to be changed to use this technology?7. Will this be public or proprietary?

Opinions

● Technology will continue to make large impacts● Automation can augment the work of humans● Balance required to embrace technology without being

controlled by it● “Human Happiness and well-being [should be] at the heart

of the decision making”

● Battle between ethics and loss of human values

Thank You