The following is an essay written by me about Information Technology which has been extracted from my book - The Universe - A Personal View ( page 240 to 242 )
Link to my book :- https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxqa2hjbGlmZXN0eWxlfGd4OjM5NmM2NTViMjAzY2M5MTk
Information Technology Explosion
The tremendous progress in information technology in recent years is both a blessing on and a scourge to our humanity. While we can now all stay at home and access relevant information we need and most basic commercial transactions 24 hours seven at the hit of some buttons on our PC, this convenience has also sown the evil seeds of dehumanizing all of us in various aspects of our lives. It has also diminished the value of interpersonal relationships and by reference the other important human virtues such as love and compassion.
With its highly complex hard and softwares, computer technology has only one aim and that is to maximize the efficiency in processing data and information. It has no heart or no compassionate heart to be exact. Reference to chapter (ix) on Consciousness, and in particular to the section on AI ( artifiial intelligence ) in ( C ) the Eccentric Ideas will show the arguments for the claim that AI can never replace human being as far as human emotions are concerned. Even if AI can mimic the emotional reactions of humans, the Chinese Room Experiment by John Searle will provide evidence and proof that it is the syntex ( the mechanics ) but not the semantics ( the meaning in particular contexts ) that AI is able to read and understand. By virtue of the peculiar way our brain works which is through the senses, feelings, experience, conditioning and reinforcement and most important of all by obeying chaotic rules, AI can only imitate albeit closely but never replace or even completely duplicate an individual human being because of the simple fact that each individual is unique and behaves in a chaotic manner. Not even the particular individual himself or herself can predict with absolute certainty one's own behaviour from moment to moment. Nor is this a mere attempt on my part to elevate a human being to an irreplaceable level. These are the facts of nature and the objective reality (OR) supported by scientific experiments.
Going back to the impact of information technology on human values, it is an indisputable fact that machines are incapable of feelings in the human and emotional sense. Connecting with people through the computer which is a cold and impersonal medium is connection through a buffer. It is indirect and counter productive in the interpersonal sense. It is just like enjoying all the nutrients and vitamins of a romantic
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candle light dinner by taking some food supplement pills. The fact that a romantic candle
light dinner is so enjoyable is because it concerns the atmosphere, the companionship of
your loved one, the involvement of your senses of taste and smell, the beautiful sights of
the artistic furniture and decorations in the dining venue and the hospitality of the staff
serving you as well as the colourful presentation of the cusines and the paricular purpose
for the dinner ( perhaps to commemorate you wedding anniversary ). All of these
complicated factors contribute in different ways and in a collective manner ( involving
multi-lateral interactions of all the relevant factors and components ) to the enjoyable
nature of the particular dinning experience. It is really a matter of history – your personal
history or life story that is to say. Even if AI can mimic all the facts it can never duplicate
the feelings arising from the particular occasion and with the same degree of fondness of
memory and nostalgic touch as yours truly. Therefore, replacing human interactions by
electronic medium is definitely a second best choice for social intercourse. And the
prevalent preference for the electronic medium over personal interaction for convenience
is fast becoming a threat to genuine interpersonal relationships. This is my foremost
reason for considering information technology expolsion as one of the major threats to the
human world. Have we ever considered what our children would be like if the computer
has actually taken over human interaction completely ? All of our future generations will
become cold, heartless and unfeeling machines that possess no social skills of
interpersonal relationships. Our future may as well be a gigantic computer devoid of
human feelings and values. Already, we have seen the tragic effects of computer games
on our teenagers. The increase in violent crimes among teenagers can be partly
attributable to the diminished value in human life and dignity as depicted in most computer
games such as combat scenarios with higher points being awarded to the more number of
enemies having been killed in the game. Equally dangerous is the computer game of
formula one motor racing where speed is everything. Teenagers are subconsciously
trained to take unnecessary risks in their driving skills. The fact that a car crash on a
computer can simply mean game over without any physical damages having been inflicted
on them is a very bad form of mental conditioning. Unfortunately, such bad habit of
unnecessary risk taking acquired by teenagers in motor racing computer games may
easily be passed on to their later years when they actually become real life drivers behind
the steering wheel of a real motor car. A real life accident may very well result from such a
bad attitude in driving and this time around game over for them may mean the loss of their
precious young lives or at the minimum level serious bodily harm. These are the most
undesirable effects of computer games which are so popular among teenagers nowadays.
My second concern for the IT expolsion is the invasion on our privacy. With the ever increasing pace in the miniaturization of the audio and video equipments, many misguided people or voyeurs can easily invade into our private moments or conversations for whatever reasons and without our knowing it. This is a frightening and insecure situation for all of us. Despite the enactment of laws to protect innocent victims and the fact that the culprits, if they are caught, will be punished accordingly this is not much of a consolation for the victims who have been mentally traumatized. Even more difficult to police are crossed or multiple-jurisdiction internet crimes such as illegal gambling or financial frauds, child pornography and kidnap and abduction cases using the internet as the medium to perpetrate such crimes. Apart from child pornography which has commanded genuine and earnest international co-operation, the other types of internet crimes are still largely left to flourish on their own terms. The most frightening and devastating scenario in electronic crime is the theft of personal identities which are not uncommon in developed economies like the USA. Once you have been robbed of your identity you will have endless troubles and personal woes that will take an unthinkable amount of police work to retrieve and restore to its former conditions. One way or another the victim will be damaged for life in terms of insecurity and trauma. Worse still, such wicked ways can be adopted by some crooked government agents as weapons against anybody they may have reasons to eliminate or to control. These are really heart chilling and frightful aspects to contemplate but they are actual possibilties within our present day high-tech world. This subject of stolen identity has more than once been the main theme of some movies produced in Hollywood.
Using IT is an area of human behaviour that no amount of legislative
My second concern for the IT expolsion is the invasion on our privacy. With the ever increasing pace in the miniaturization of the audio and video equipments, many misguided people or voyeurs can easily invade into our private moments or conversations for whatever reasons and without our knowing it. This is a frightening and insecure situation for all of us. Despite the enactment of laws to protect innocent victims and the fact that the culprits, if they are caught, will be punished accordingly this is not much of a consolation for the victims who have been mentally traumatized. Even more difficult to police are crossed or multiple-jurisdiction internet crimes such as illegal gambling or financial frauds, child pornography and kidnap and abduction cases using the internet as the medium to perpetrate such crimes. Apart from child pornography which has commanded genuine and earnest international co-operation, the other types of internet crimes are still largely left to flourish on their own terms. The most frightening and devastating scenario in electronic crime is the theft of personal identities which are not uncommon in developed economies like the USA. Once you have been robbed of your identity you will have endless troubles and personal woes that will take an unthinkable amount of police work to retrieve and restore to its former conditions. One way or another the victim will be damaged for life in terms of insecurity and trauma. Worse still, such wicked ways can be adopted by some crooked government agents as weapons against anybody they may have reasons to eliminate or to control. These are really heart chilling and frightful aspects to contemplate but they are actual possibilties within our present day high-tech world. This subject of stolen identity has more than once been the main theme of some movies produced in Hollywood.
Using IT is an area of human behaviour that no amount of legislative
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effort is comprehensive or water-tight enough to achieve an ideal level of control. Only
proper education and the building of an internationally acceptable social and moral code of
conduct can be the effective and long-term solution and protective measure for the sacred
rights of the individual. IT is similar in nature to the politicians. It is something that is a pain
in our back side which we cannot do without. The logical and sensible attitude for us to
adopt towards IT is to tolerate it wherever possible and to give it a kick when it behaves
mischievously. Moreover, we must always be on guard against its possible abuses
because the progress in IT is like the weather which can change rapidly in the blink of an
eye. The relevance of TOEL as applied to the information technology explosion lies in the
concept of a healthy sense of personal and social responsibility and the long-term
measure of proper education for the younger generation and re-educating the current
generation. The main emphasis should be on their respect for other people's sacred
individual rights and their obligations to attaining an acceptable level of moral behaviour
above the minimum requirements of the man-made laws. Needless to say, we must all
subject ourselves to the supreme rule of the natural law and try our utmost to maintain its
integrity in the context of the present issue and all other human affairs. Let us be wary
about the information technology explosion or else we will all become slaves to the
computer.
