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Ideas of Ray Kurzweil on Human Nature and Technology

Introduction

In this paper, I chose to talk about a concept that is controversial and always results in entertaining talks; technological Singularity. Ray Kurzweil is the inventor and technologist. He created, among other inventions, the first reading machine for the blind. He was a visionary man with optimistic views about the future of humankind and the use of technology.

This concept refers to a crucial moment in history, which is assumed to take place in a medium-term future in which it produces a rapid acceleration of technological development. The theory being a consequence of the exponential nature of progress itself leads to the eventual creation of artificial intelligence over the human (Human, p. 99). This in turn, will produce a technological and a drastic social change that any human being presents before the Singularity. It is now difficult to understand, predict or even imagine how science, technology and life post singularity will look like in the future. Kurzweil sees the humankind as the teleological precedent of the first super-intelligence. Hence, to Kurzweil, the human is also a bridge, a means - a cause, to the ultimate design of singularity.

Thesis Statement

Ray Kurweil portrays the positive side of technological impact on the concept of human singularity.

Impacts of technological growth on human nature

The last third of the twentieth century has made it clear to everyone that the ceaseless stream of innovations produced by techno-science that a hybrid of science and technology that characterizes modern times has become the decisive force that set the conditions, environments and ways of life globally (Harrington, p. 98). But alongside and in contrast to the increasing pace of technological efficiency of natural and cultural environments, traditional philosophical dualities exist between science, technology, culture and nature. Such conceptual and theoretical divisions have given way throughout history, separations academic, educational, institutional and currently lead not only perceptions but also dissociation of opposition between the fields of science and technology and culture and nature.

The term "Singularity" is comparable to the use of this term by the physics community. Just as, we find it hard to see beyond the event horizon of a black hole, we are also hard to see beyond the event horizon of the historical uniqueness (Sleator, p. 8). However, just as we can draw conclusions about the nature of black holes through our conceptual thinking, despite never having been in one, now our thinking is powerful enough to have significant understanding of the implications of the Singularity.

The new constellations of science, technology and nature and culture, will require, without doubt, the ability to understand complex networks and techno-scientific innovations that produce and manage cultural and environmental changes that they entail, say, new forms of interpretation, assessment and intervention with these new constellations today cause confusion and foster attitudes of disbelief and concern about techno-scientific innovations that arguably are already part of our reality.

Ray Kurzweil on human nature and technology

He produced an impressive amount of data that support its central thesis, which ...