by The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do. ~B.F. Skinner, Contingencies of Reinforcement, 1969
The development of science and technology throughout human history has accelerated immensely with the passage of time, culminating in a seemingly exponential trend towards future development. Each decade brings fascinating new developments to our world, modifying the lives of those who live all across the globe. A vast number of these scientific and technological advancements serve to benefit their discoverers and/or inventors, whether through simplifying labor-intensive tasks or creating opportunities for further enjoyment of human life. However, technology’s inevitable development can also raise questions and worries. Will there come a point where we take the development of technology – specifically machines – too far? Is there a point at which humans will be under threat from their own inventions?
I personally find that Skinner’s above quotation sums up my views on this topic quite well. Being born in 2001, I have witnessed massive amounts of technological development over the course of my childhood. Throughout my life, I have watched flip phones and early iPods give way to smart homes and self-driving cars, and – especially in recent years – I have heard increasing numbers of people voice their reservations regarding the development of increasingly intelligent machines. Are these reservations justified? Perhaps. But I do not personally view Skinner’s quote as dismissing the fear that machines may one day become frighteningly powerful. Rather, his words suggest that our time spent worrying about the decision-making capabilities of machines would be better spent worrying about whether humans themselves are making the right decisions.
Even with the immense strides that have been made in the fields of artificial intelligence, I cannot quite see a robot revolution becoming a pressing threat in the near future. In fact, I believe that almost anyone who has lived through 2020 could attest that humans and our own choices (as well as the consequences of those choices) are uniquely responsible for significant threats to both our current and future livelihood. Taking for example an issue such as climate change, the disconnect between human and machine becomes clear. Thanks to the impressive technological breakthroughs that scientists have made in recent decades, reversing the negative impact of humanity on the earth’s natural climate and resources should not be too difficult a task. With the science and technology available to top minds across the world today, problems like that of our ailing climate should not prove as difficult to address as they may seem. But will humans harness impressive technological creations to work towards common good? Skinner seems to be skeptical, as am I.
Despite the ever-developing technological advancements that have brought us to where we are today, humanity still remains firmly in control. How we apply the collective knowledge of our modern society is in nobody’s hands but our own. Technology could be the answer to our problems or become yet another root of human suffering, and the choice is ours alone to make.