Emotional Connections: The Shape of our Future

Will we eventually destroy the world and our relationships with our ever increasing biotechnology?

Paro has internal sensors, responds to his name, and apparently can adapt to the preferences of the person interacting with it. The robot was developed in Japan, which has a rapidly expanding "old/old" population, as a source of therapeutic contact. So - is Paro a humane creation or another sign of our loss of humanity? Is he an ethically acceptable invention or a monstrosity?

Directions:

Read the linked article: " Grandma and her robot"
Answer the guided questions while reading the article. These questions will assist you on the quiz for this module.

Guided Questions:

What is Paro?
In the author's view, the robots themselves are ethically admirable. What then is the ethical uncertainty?
In Ray Bradbury's story "Marionette's, Inc.," a husband who wants to leave his wife but doesn't want to hurt her purchases a robot of himself. On the last night before departure he feels a tender anticipatory sadness and puts his head against her chest. What does he hear?
Does the author feel that robots could undermine deeply held human values?

Emerging Technologies that Could Destroy the World

Through the accelerating rate of our technological advancements, we are now seeing the rise of revolutionary new technologies. Even from an optimistic perspective, many potential threats can be foreseen. In the book ‘Our Final Century: will the human race survive the twenty-first century?‘, Martin Rees concludes that humanity has just a 50/50 chance of surviving the 21st century. Although many refrain from applying such odds, the century is fraught with unpredictability and even incomprehensibility. Certain future events though are certain to happen, should growth continue uninterrupted.

Directions:

Read the linked article here: Five Emerging Technologies That Could Destroy The World
Answer the guided questions while reading the article. These questions will assist you on the quiz for this module.

Guiding Questions:

How large are typical nanostructures?
What is the blood brain barrier?
According to the article, what will the upcoming phase of bio-weaponry (in other words, what is "black biology?"

Bionics, Transhumanism, and the End of Evolution???

Directions:

View the embedded video "Bionics, Transhumanism, and the End of Evolution"
Answer the guided questions while reading the article. These questions will assist you on the quiz for this module.

Guiding Questions:

Robotics Artificial Intelligence, bionics and nanotechnology seem to be converging to one goal. What is that goal?
Why was it more difficult to keep a brain alive outside the body than other organs?
Does Dr. White believe that consciousness and personality can be transplanted?
Green equates the code of life to what other type of code?
Max Moore( philosopher) believes we all came about in a random fashion with imperfections. What does he feel is one of the most moral things we can do for humans?
Mark Tilden has not developed a brain for his machines but claims he his machines can learn through what type of system?
Carl Simms designed a software program with small cubic creatures that were able to evolve. He also programmed in random change. What happened with this program that was extraordinary and unexpected?
) Thomas De Marse grows neurons and listens to “conversations” between them. What other interesting research is he conducting involving aircraft?
Dr. Dan reconstructed what a cat sees on a computer screen. The cat was watching “Indiana Jones”. At the end they zoomed in on a man. Instead of a man this image had what type of appearance?
What are some of the applications for nanotechnology?
What is the Gray goo syndrome?