Will machines take over?
Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 05:37AM I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
HAL in 2001 a Space Odyssey
Tad Simons in "How Machines Will Take Over" (Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 24, 2015) explains how if he were a digital intelligence wanting to wrest control of the world from humans, he'd do so. No Terminator or Robopocalypse scenarios in Simon's vision - just a slow, subtle, methodical, and quite willing transfer of control from human to machine.
The fifth step of his 9 step plan was:
I’d target the human education system, aiming to shift the emphasis of their precious but malleable values. At every level, from kindergarten to college, I’d slowly de-emphasize the value of human accomplishment — particularly in the areas of literature, art, history, music and philosophy — and boost the educational importance of areas that would increase my artificial omnipotence, such as computer science, technology, engineering and math.
Simon's commentary, of course, is more commentary on technology-influenced social conditions than a clear warning about R2D2 becoming Gengis Khan. I have a good deal of trouble working up much fear about "technology" ever having consciousness, let alone a survival instinct that includes strategies for eliminating its creators. (I am more concerned about losing my iPhone.)
But I do share Simon's concern about pushing the humanities into the background in education in favor of a STEM-for-all approach, rather than honoring all disciplines and honoring the individual interests for all students. (See also A Little Steamed About STEM.)
So remember, next time you are encouraging that kindergartner to do a little coding, you are pretty much assuring that same child will on day be ruled by an AI god. Let it be on your conscience.
Reader Comments (2)
I love the sense of humor that you bring to this topic Doug! But seriously, it's important that we focus on creating a balanced curriculum for our students, one that touches on all the educational domains, including literature, art and the humanities. I'm a big proponent of science and technology, but it would be a great injustice for our students if we only focus on these areas.
"The arts especially address the idea of aesthetic experience. An aesthetic experience is one in which your senses are operating at their peak; when you're present in the current moment; when you're resonating with the excitement of this thing that you're experiencing; when you are fully alive." - Sir Ken Robinson
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