Last update: 2024-09-25
Joy argues that developing technologies pose a much greater danger to humanity than any technology before has ever done. In particular, he focuses on genetic engineering, nanotechnology and robotics. He argues that 20th-century technologies of destruction such as the nuclear bomb were limited to large governments, due to the complexity and cost of such devices, as well as the difficulty in acquiring the required materials. He uses the novel The White Plague as a potential nightmare scenario, in which a mad scientist creates a virus capable of wiping out humanity.
Joy also voices concerns about increasing computer power. His worry is that computers will eventually become more intelligent than we are, leading to such dystopian scenarios as robot rebellion. He quotes Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber).
Joy expresses concerns that eventually the rich will be the only ones that have the power to control the future robots that will be built and that these people could also decide to take life into their own hands and control how humans continue to populate and reproduce. He started doing more research into robotics and people that specialize in robotics, and outside of his own thoughts, he tried getting others’ opinions on the topic. Rodney Brooks, a specialist in robotics, believes that in the future there will be a merge between humans and robots. Joy mentioned Hans Moravec’s book ‘’Robot: Mere Machine to Transcendent Mind’’ where he believed there will be a shift in the future where robots will take over normal human activities, but with time humans will become okay with living that way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Joy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_the_Future_Doesn%27t_Need_Us