10/20/04

computers will surpass human beings in this century

• processing power
• ability to access information quickly and effectively
• able to program itself
• there is a line where a computer or robot would deserve the same rights as a person--capability plus individuality (self-aware)

will we still control computers?

• we can't shut things off we have become dependent on
• 
  

they are the next step on the evolutionary chain--not just a step but a new paradigm (a whole different approach)

progress is inevitable and inevitably goes in one particular direction and has inevitable effects (technological determinism)

steps of computers surpassing human beings:

1. we will be able to build computers with the same level of complexity (same number of connections) as the human brain--Kurtzweil says the new technology will come along, others say it is already in development
   
2. computers can solve defined rational problems better than human beings can (computers are better at modeling and quantitative decisions)
   
3. just because a computer can solve problems can it think?
4. will computers ever have: emotions, experience (computers already can learn from experience), consciousness (self-awareness), understanding, capacity to differentiate between good and evil, consider the consequences of its actions, freedom of action, sympathy/empathy/compassion, creativity, interaction with others, be able to discuss ethics
   
5. so long as we create computers they are not independent--they need the ability to procreate--but this is possible