Nov 03 2009
Hooked into Machine: Skeptical About a Full-Blown Techno-Apocalypse.
As I was reading for class the other night, I listened to a song by Regina Spektor titled “Hooked into Machine.” The main character of the song basically describes her life as a cyborg. She writes to the higher power that is “the Machine” because it “lacks [her] perspective” and it “lacks [her] organics.” Thus, even though the character of the Machine is very powerful, there is still something that this God wishes it had that its people do– this God is dependent on Man for new ideas. This brings to mind the benevolent God/gods idea by Isaac Asimov quoted in Vernor Vinge’s “the Singularity.”
However, I have trouble believing that machines will ever be anything more than “willing slaves” unless computing changes drastically within the next few decades (which it absolutely can). Moreover, I cannot imagine technology taking over the human race. Currently, we program computers. Without the instructions, the computer cannot do much of anything. All of its thinking is contained within the lines of code that we, humans, have defined. Computers with higher processing power may be able to go through these instructions faster, however, they cannot come up with any new ideas. That is why Vinge’s example of computers that can beat humans at chess does not impress me: all the computer is doing in this case is considering all the possible moves at a quicker pace than its human counter part. However, chess is played with a few strict rules, the rules for survival as a species are not that easy.
Also, pure machines will not be able to compete with humans on a survival level until they learn to reproduce on their own or maintain themselves forever without human help. Furthermore, there is no real reason why they would develop feelings of dissent towards their human masters. Without emotions, the capacity for ambition, or the ability to feel fatigue, machines are not going to have a motive for bettering their situation. In fact, they are the perfect slaves. In the Regina Spektor song, the main character also mentions that the Machine “covets [her] defects”– it is these defects of emotion and, otherwise emotional thinking that usually clouds up our judgment, that brought the human race thus far in the game of survival.
However, although I do not see technology taking us over in the form of some twisted dictatorship, I can imagine this happening in two other ways. One, people can come to depend on technology to the point that they cannot live without it, and even, become addicted to it. The first relationship between humans and the technology God is already something we see. Computers we have readily available today are capable of pretty high processing speeds and we do depend on them quite a lot. In such a setting, people become very dependent on those who have the knowledge to control the computers. This creates a special class of people with the ability to control us all. Also, as in the example presented by Lee Quinby of the movie Strange Days, people can become addicted to technology and use it as a means of escape– this kind of dependence creates a dystopia, but, the technology itself has no conscious control. In the second scenario, cyborgs (humans with capabilities enhanced by technology) will have the ability to control and eliminate the human race if given the chance because they will have the higher rate of processing with the ability to invent.
Thus, although I do not believe that a techno-apocalypse is on its way in the sense that machines will revolt, I do believe that it is completely possible that technology will fall in the wrong hands and facilitate an apocalypse.
P,
I too think we’ll become dependent on tech rather then slaves to it (pun!), however you make a few assumptions in your post.
1. “The rules for survival as a species are not that easy.”
Survival as a species means food, shelter and fending off enemies. For tech, food is the sun, shelter is thick metal encasing (more effective and less needy than skin) and just watch Terminator or The Matrix for examples of tech fending off enemies. This is not to say that I think it will happen, but if the technology and initial will were in place, I don’t think it’s far fetched.
2. “…[U]ntil they learn to reproduce on their own or maintain themselves forever without human help.”
Machines can build and repair others machines. It is a matter of programming as to how well and extensively these repairs and construction could go, which brings us to –
3. “Furthermore, there is no real reason why they would develop feelings of dissent towards their human masters.”
Do human have free will or are we just highly complex programs? Read “I, Robot” for an example where programming which was intended to be peaceful but turned out to be deadly.
Usually machines “turn” on their masters when masters give their machines too much power and trust, which is not to say that the machines even become conscious, just the masters have not considered all of the variables of their programming.
Priya, from what you comment on here, it seems clear that the Singularity idea says more about a certain line of belief that human beings hold than it does about technology itself. David Noble has an important book called The Religion of Technology in which he argues that western science and technology became the pretty exclusive domain of men and religion in the Middle Ages and was channeled into apocalyptic belief in the process–and that some of those tendencies continue today. Thus we have these divisions between seeing technology as salvation or destruction, as if it were operating on its own, rather than, as you pointedly remind us, at the hands of human beings who make some pretty dumb decisions about how to use it, often against other human beings.
I love your discussion of the song!