Scary Technology

[MarcusOfLycia]

Found this list of the "top technology of 2011". Is it just me, or is all the neural implant stuff starting to get a little creepy. It feels like scientists are foregoing philosophical, ethical, and religious considerations and just experimenting with things without regard for any consequences.

http://io9.com/5871725/biggest-scientif ... hs-of-2011

[Danieltwotwenty]

Can anyone say mind control.

[inlovewiththe44]

Definitely going to avoid that nonsense at all costs.

[sandy_mcd]

Found this list of the "top technology of 2011". Is it just me, or is all the neural implant stuff starting to get a little creepy.

I guess it depends on your perspective

Already demonstrated successfully in primates, the interface could soon allow humans to use next-generation prosthetic limbs (or even robotic exoskeletons) to actually feel objects in the real world.

[Danieltwotwenty]

Found this list of the "top technology of 2011". Is it just me, or is all the neural implant stuff starting to get a little creepy.

I guess it depends on your perspective

Already demonstrated successfully in primates, the interface could soon allow humans to use next-generation prosthetic limbs (or even robotic exoskeletons) to actually feel objects in the real world.

That is fine if it is used ethically, but who is to say that it will remain so. They have already researched on chimps, what price did they pay?

[MarcusOfLycia]

Found this list of the "top technology of 2011". Is it just me, or is all the neural implant stuff starting to get a little creepy.

I guess it depends on your perspective

Already demonstrated successfully in primates, the interface could soon allow humans to use next-generation prosthetic limbs (or even robotic exoskeletons) to actually feel objects in the real world.

Most technology is touted as 'the thing that will help save people with [insert problem here]'. But why would it stop there? I can't think of a single convincing proof from human history that assures me this won't end up hurting most people (particularly the mind-reading technology listed).

Maybe everyone just needs to play Bioshock or read a couple of books on the early modern world...

[narnia4]

I'm not an expert on these things, but some of those definitely make me uncomfortable. Imo, this is a place where Christian thinkers and apologists are going to need to develop in coming years.

[Tina]

Those things are scary. Terrified.....

[DRDS]

I'm not an expert on these things, but some of those definitely make me uncomfortable. Imo, this is a place where Christian thinkers and apologists are going to need to develop in coming years.

Yeah I do know how you feel. I am going to try and get a few opinions from some of the dualist Christian apologists over on William Lane Craig's reasonable faith board. But I did however inform another apologist friend of mine who does his own blog, Glenn Peoples who is out of New Zealand. People's holds to a view called "non reductive physicalism" and thus also holds to the SDA view of soul sleep but is not a SDA.

I asked him about the link above so I should be hearing from him pretty soon. I have a feeling that if this "breakthroughs" are proven true it won't hurt his view but the more popular substance dualist view, I'm not so sure. But then again the site that the origional post came from looks like a "pop" science type site and if it is than maybe alot of the stuff in that article is either not fully true or is greatly exagerated.

But anyway, if you are interested in Glenn People's ideas his podcast is called "Say hello to my little friend" if you type that into a search you should find it, that or his name Glenn Andrew Peoples. He's a very nice guy.

But anyway that's my current take on it.

[Ivellious]

I don't know what Biblical or other religious implications this kind of stuff has, or whether it's against Christianity or whatever...but lots of technology could be seriously scary. I'm personally worried about the idea of semi-intelligent, self-replicating nanobots...

[Danieltwotwenty]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity

When we reach the point of technological singularity I hope to God that I am no longer around.

[Ivellious]

Haha if I had to pick my two most frightening technological apocalypses are self-reproducing nanobots and super Artificial Intelligence. Both are rather frightening and likely impossible to stop once we get to that point...

[Rob]

Haha if I had to pick my two most frightening technological apocalypses are self-reproducing nanobots and super Artificial Intelligence. Both are rather frightening and likely impossible to stop once we get to that point...

Kinda reminds me of Michael Chrichton's Prey.

[narnia4]

One thing I have to remind myself is what those who subscribe to dualism actually believe. We do believe that brain activity at least correlates with mind activity, we've know all along that signals are sent to the brain that allow us to see or feel certain things. So with that in mind the question becomes, how exactly do any of those hurt dualism? I don't really see any way that it does.

Now the technological singularity,that's a little far-fetched and if that happened I'd see some serious problems... but those who posit such a singularity are assuming that a number of unsolved issues CAN be solved and that we will "advance" at an exponential rate without ever slowing down or hitting a dead end.

[Ivellious]

Well, there are obviously obstacles to being able to create true artificial life/intelligence. I don't necessarily anticipate that happening overnight. My point though, is that if and when we do create AI that can go beyond our own abilities, then it's likely too late to stop it.

Same with nanobots, but those could be used much sooner than the general public realize. My university has a lab (in conjunction with several other schools) dedicated to trying to develop tiny robots that could, given the proper materials, self-replicate. Basically, because nanobots are really difficult to manufacture because of their small size, scientists want to make robots that can assemble more of themselves so that we can just make one and then that one can produce the rest of their "team" needed to combat the illness in the body or whatever their purpose is. The frightening part of that is that if a nanobot were to malfunction, they are possibly unstoppable, especially if they have the capability to take resources around them and endlessly make more of themselves. Nanobots could also be weaponized in the wrong hands.