concerns about AI & other technology (lit guide) Flashcards
kismet
a robot with rudimentary social skills
what are the potential threats of AI?
illegal activities in places such as the dark web, potential for AI takeover due to its superior data processing, and possibility that AI may turn on humans
which classic movie features an AI takeover?
2001: A Space Odyssey
what fears do HAL and the augmentor in The Lathe of Heaven represent?
fear of the infernal machine, or fear that technology can dominate its maker
resource guide definition of technology
(based on the Merriam Webster definition) Any tool that humans have invented as a practical application
of knowledge is a technology
Greek mythological story of Prometheus
the titan prometheus steals fire for mankind; he gives them access to a new technology but also dominance over other life-forms. Zeus punishes Prometheus by chaining him to the Caucasus Mountains, where an eagle comes to eat his liver everyday for all of eternity
significance of Prometheus
foundational tale in Western culture that explores and
explains the uneasy relationship between humanity and
technology
comparison made between Frankenstein, a Modern Prometheus & the original myth
Dr. Frankenstein unnaturally creating life is comparable to the “audacity” shown by Prometheus when he brings fire down to mankind
Gatling gun
example of technology as a double-edged sword. First rapid-fire repeating gun, invented by Dr. Richard Gatling during the American civil war when more patents were being issued than ever. Extremely deadly
discovery of radium and polonium
French scientists Pierre Curie and Marie Curie discovered radium & polium which paved the way for x-ray treatments but long-term exposure to radioactive elements led to Marie’s death.
atomic power
a new energy source, but also a deadly force as shown in Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. today there are subsequent concerns that nuclear technology might be an end to humanity, as more and more countries acquire nuclear weapons or aspire to
