This week's focus was on Emerging and Future Technologies.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."
- Albert Einstein.
It is clear to us that creativity knows no boundaries and it is always one of the the driven factor that makes impossible turn into possible. Technology is the product of creativity when people obtain the ability to convert the strong desires into reality.
Key takeaways from the session:
- Market-driven research and development
- Supply can sometimes create demand.
- Mass media influence
The class had a discussion on some upcoming technologies such as biotechnologies, nano technologies, robotics etc. An interesting video shown during class that attracted my attention was the AI Robotics - the perfect woman. However, disputes on such technology was brought up. Despite how amazing this robot is, concerns on exploitation for use in acts of terrorism and the repulsiveness from certain region due to the manipulation of what human beings should originally be were set on the table.
From my point of view, the creation of new technology is unstoppable unless people cease thinking wild and trying. We have no means to prevent the technology from emerging. But we do have the chance of get the use of technology on the moral path. It is unknown as to what is in the future. Why do we criticise and worry about what is around us now to avoid the possibilities of negative impacts of technology ?Why do people spend effort and time on arguing if a technology is justifiable when rather they could put in more emphasis on how it should be corrective use?
It is true that we have to evaluate what a technology may bring to us. But giving it a NO is not going to solve the concerns and worries. Worse, despite the protest of the presence of emerging technology, most protester just stand there and wait for the worries to happen. Therefore, I am suggesting negation is not the key to the threatens embedded in an emerging technology. We should rather work on how to improve the technology to make it more catered to what we really desire with cautious and care.
Session Rating: 9/10
