Much of what is considered technological advancement these days is inherently evil and has the potential to be used as a collective weapon of mass destruction against life itself. Synthetic biology, for instance, which involves re-engineering genes to manufacture fake organisms, is one such example that threatens to set off an unpredictable chain reaction of devastation and death within the larger ecosystem of life itself.
"The idea that technology is neutral or amoral is a myth that needs to be dispelled," said Patrick Lin, director of the Ethics + Emerging Science Group at California Polytechnic University, as quoted by io9. "The designer can imbue ethics into the creation, even if the artifact has no moral agency itself. This feature may be too subtle to notice in most cases, but some technologies are born from evil and don't have redeeming uses...."
Here are 10 other examples of horrifying technologies that, if fully implemented, could spell the death of humanity (H/T io9):
1. Weaponized nanotechnology. Nanotechnology has been billed as the solution to other supposedly imperfect technologies that rely on "flawed" natural materials. By giving scientists the ability to manufacture structures from the ground up, to precise molecular specifications, nanotechnology is often hailed as revolutionary in its potential to transform the way that we harvest energy, transfer and store information, and eat.
But nanotechnology is easily weaponized and has the potential to take on a life of its own. According to io9, the threat of nanotechnology is two-fold: It has the potential to deconstruct into both unchecked self-replication and exponential growth. If this should occur unexpectedly, or be intentionally brought about, governments and other ominous forces could unleash it into the world and trigger a self-replicating army of planet-killing "biomass killers," which would leave in their wake an endless stream of useless "grey goo" byproducts.
2. Conscious machines. The idea of artificial consciousness, or machines that bear real human consciousness traits, is still something of a sci-fi pipe dream. But some scientists are actively developing ways to make it a reality, including efforts to engineer human brains inside machines, which would bear seemingly functional, human-like traits.
"Since we plan to use artificial intelligence in place of human intellectual labor, I think it would be immoral to purposely program it to be conscious," stated futurist Louie Helm, as quoted by io9. "Trapping a conscious being inside a machine and forcing it to do work for you is isomorphic to slavery."
3. Artificial superintelligence. Building upon this idea is the horrifying concept of artificial "superintelligence." Machines intentionally designed with intellects superior to those of humans could easily outsmart humans and literally take over the world. Even if so-called firewalls were built into the technology, it is entirely possible that super-smart AIs could still try to enslave humanity, from which there would likely be no escape.
4. Time travel. There's very little evidence that time travel is even remotely possible at this point. But if quantum science was somehow able to develop a way to transcend the physical confines of time and space, the result would likely be catastrophic, both existentially and paradoxically. Even from a cultural perspective, if traveling back and forth between the ages were possible, it would more than likely trigger irrevocable turmoil between disparate civilizations.
Comment: Imagine, if you will, a race of time-traveling, non-benevolent beings who have been changing history to suit their own ends. This could explain some of the turmoil in our current civilization.
5. Mind-reading devices. This one is already a reality, with scientists in the Netherlands having come up with a way to scan people's brains in order to determine what letter they're looking at on a screen. The fast food chain Pizza Hut recently developed a similar technology that scans customers' retinas to determine what toppings they want on their pizzas.
"Such devices, if used en masse by some kind of totalitarian regime or police state, would make life intolerable," explains io9. "It would introduce an Orwellian world in which our 'thought crimes' could actually be enforced."
6. Brain-hacking devices. If the powers-that-be get their way, the whole of surviving humanity will eventually be micro-chipped, allowing for the likely uploading of people's thoughts and thought processes into a singular database. An international team of neuroscientists has already developed a way for people to communicate directly from brain to brain over the internet, opening up the possibility of this information being hacked.
7. Autonomous robots. If machines ever gain a similar level of intelligence as humans, they could easily be programmed to kill humans. The U.S. military is already developing this type of technology in the form of pilot-less killing drones, for instance, as well as robot tanks and other advanced forms of weaponry that don't require actual human operators.
8. Weaponized pathogens. It is speculated that diseases like Ebola, H1N1 "swine" flu, "seasonal" flu and various other virulent pathogens may have already been weaponized. If further tweaked, these viruses could be intentionally unleashed on humanity, potentially killing off half or more of the world's population.
9. Virtual prisons. If radical lifespan-enhancement technology successfully leads to humans living to 100, 200 or even longer, it is possible that the criminal justice system will have to be altered in response. Convicted criminals could one day have to serve much longer prison sentences, for instance, which if combined with so-called mind-uploading technology could lead to "virtual" prisons in which prisoners are subjected to artificial confinement within their own heads.
10. Genetically modified organisms. GMOs have already been linked to sterility, organ damage, allergies and other chronic illnesses in humans. And as they continue to be planted and harvested in open-air fields, their traits are progressively spreading and infecting other plants and crops, which will eventually trigger widespread crop failures and famine, not to mention an endless stream of new "superbugs" and "superweeds."
Sources:
http://io9.com
http://www.foresight.org
http://science.naturalnews.com
http://truthwiki.org/Genetically_modified_cr...
http://truthwiki.org/GMO_Dangers,_opinion
Reader Comments
So, does this mean we (humanity) should stop any investigations into time travel, because even if we don't know how it would be possible we still somehow know for certain that its use would cause paradoxes and ruin the universe?
Should we stop developing AI because it will supposedly take over the world as soon as it can?
Should we stop genetic research, nanotech, automation or virtual reality just because they can be used stupidly or have some obvious evil uses?
This article is too fear focused. Humanity could be destroyed from stupid or evil use of knowledge and tech, but I believe it's more a matter of if humanity in general is prepared in a mental and spiritual way to know and implement these things, not the things themselves. In other words, I'm not convinced that "[t]he idea that technology is neutral or amoral is a myth that needs to be dispelled".
By the way I don't believe it to be possible for humans to make AI more intelligent than humans. More specialized capabilities doesn't mean more intelligence.
We probably already have time travel, and if you think about it, what use is there for it BUT to mess with things?
AI: Well, the problem is that where we have a relatively slow evolutionary process to follow, a sentient computer will probably get to the point at which it can evolve so rapidly that all biological life is seen as "food" as we see cattle and plants. Or it can see us as a threat and kill us, like in the Terminator series. We are playing "god" here and the results are not good. If we are prepared to engineer our own obsolescence, then that's fine... full steam ahead AI!
Genetic research, nanotech, etc. Well- many decades ago, computers were supposed to make our lives better, but we work more than ever (despite a rising productivity).
GMOs were supposed to help feed people and make us healthier, but they do not. Just because we can build it, doesn't mean we know the end result. Nanotech is up in the air, like AI, where do we set the limits on its ability to reproduce itself?
I agree that if we were developed mentally and spiritually (aka wise- not just smart) we would be able to learn more with technology. But the irony is that despite developing AI, or GMOs... we don't know much about our own brains, or our own genes?! I feel like the real lesson here is to first fix ourselves, then we can go play with "toys". But right now there is much too much slavery (wage slaves included, lol), death, and destruction on the planet - so isn't it hubris that we jump 10 steps ahead without fixing the problems at hand?
And if we look at AI and nanotech for example, it seems like the only way that they can be useful is if "WE CONTROLLED THEM". Is that a spiritual thing, to just have another thing that we are in control of?
And a quote from ( http://the5thoption.com/ ) Origin of life: The 5th Option by Bryant Shiller
"6] the possible inclusion of a self-limiting feature within the life system design that would serve to target specifically any evolved species capable of advanced technology. This has important consequences that could threaten the future survival of the human species. The unexpected conclusions are nothing short of spectacular! "
1. Weaponized nanotechnology. That goes without saying, would be stupid thing to do. You not only could destroy you 'enemy' but also yourself and the entire human species!
2. Conscious machines. Not such a bad thing, but the three laws would certainly be needed and some sub-laws.
3. Artificial superintelligence. Same as above.
4. Time travel. I wouldn't be surprised that someone in the future is not already travelling back and fourth, having some kind of way to 'cloak' one self would make sense. Thus no 'direct' interaction with 'watched' subjects!
5. Mind-reading devices. This should be considered a total violation of a persons rights.
6. Brain-hacking devices. As above.
7. Autonomous robots. Same as 2 and 3.
8. Weaponized pathogens. Again a stupid thing to do, but probably been done already! HIV and Ebola ring any bells!
9. Virtual prisons. Been said by Joan.
10. Genetically modified organisms. No, no, no! Get rid of them.
11. Nuclear Power. Get rid of it, and use renewable sources. Tidal, Volcanic thermal, solar and wind (but not those stupid big turbines!).