What do you think about the use of technology?
So I read this article about an early version of a cloaking device. I tell my room mate this and he immediately says “that’s one of those things that you just have to walk away from.” I told him it would be cool if soldiers could use it to cloak themselves in battle, and it could be of great benefit to us. He went on to say that it would be too dangerous if it got into the wrong hands, and they [our enemies] would use it against us. He said we created nuclear bombs, used it (WWII), and now everyone is getting one. He also said it would have been better if it had never been created.
What do you think about new technology? Is it bad to create new technology, because you fear someone will use it to do bad things? What do you think about my room mate’s opinion about terrorists getting their hands on any new tech we create?
I have never met anyone who would oppose the creation of new technology because of paranoia; I have always read/heard/assumed that tech was always good because it advances a civilization. Have you ever experienced people like this? What type of people are they?
I’ve asked many questions, both ethical and psychological. Answer which ever you have most experience with, but not only am I interested in your opinions about the ethical part, I’m also interested in the thought process/personality of my roomie and others like him.
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9 Answers
While I am generally for new technology, there are some things that I don’t think should have been invented. Like nuclear weapons.
Sometimes, the human mind out thinks human nature, and comes up with something that we really can’t handle, and could possibly destroy us.
Like black magic, some new technology just shouldn’t be made, IMO.
I totally understand where both your room-mate and seekingwolf are coming from, but, they are both overlooking human nature. Just because we decide not to go forward with a certain line of research/technology, that doesn’t mean everyone else will do the same. Someone is going to come up with it eventually. I vote for that being us, rather than an enemy.
Ethics does need to be a variable in the development of technology. We can’t only think of what good the technology can do, we need to think what horrors it can bring with it. We can’t ignore what evils that we may be ignoring when we are developing the next new thing.
Sit down and write a nice letter or card to someone you haven’t heard from in a while and then wait for the mailman to deliver the reply.
Great fun opening real mail as against whiz bang stuff…
Nuclear weapons helped us bring an end to WWII swiftly. we were lucky to finish the Manhattan project when we did. the germans were close behind us.
Well… more often then no scientists think what they can do, instead of hat they should do… such is human nature… there wil always be something new and scary, but lets face it nost of the things we take for granted in our lives, were originally intended as a thing of war… Microwave, internett, etc…
SO I guess what we see as todays threat, could be tomorows invisible egg warmers..
I’m with augustlan. If not one scientist, then another. Frequently, the same discovery is made at the same time by different scientists in different countries. You cannot deny knowledge or the pursuit of knowledge.
I think the underlying issue is that people want to have greater control over their environment. They want greater safety, and perceive technology as a threat to safety. I have news for people who think this: not gonna happen. The world is contantly changing, and getting both safer and more dangerous at the same time. You gotta surf the wave, dude. No other choice.
I think technology is a wonderful thing. That being said, America and other democracies have made themselves more vulnerable than ever by becoming so dependent on it. Hackers from China and Russia are hacking into our government systems. They are stealing information that has the potential to harm us.
American businesses and wealthy Americans are having their Bank Accounts hacked into from China, Russia and other immoral people around the world.
Did China cause the 2001 Black Out to test their ability ?
I think we should all remember how to function without all the things which make life easier. We should all be able to walk places and communicate without Cell Phones. We should still write things on paper in case our Computers go down.
Trying to stop technology is like trying to sit on a tree to keep it from growing. Or like trying to sit on a bomb to keep it from exploding. It is a wonder and an amazement, and when used in destructive ways, can be devastating. We can’t stop it, so the best we can do is damage control.
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