2. Public Privacy vs. Private Privacy
The argument in Jeroen van den Hoven's essay is true because violating privacy will lead to multiple problems. Implanting the RFID chip or any type of tracking device in people may seem like a good idea because it would be easier to find lost or kidnapped children, criminals, and pets. Hoven provides four examples of how these chips are being used today. Firstly, in Japan, students have been chipped, and a computer traces them to and from school. Secondly, there are clubs that give people the opportunity to pay their bill with chips that will be placed under their skin by a doctor that is present at the club. Thirdly, in Mexico, people at the Ministry of Justice are chipped so it will be easier to find them if they are kidnapped. Lastly, in the US, millions of chips have been implanted pets to make it easier to find them. The examples show that there are advantages to having these chips, however, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.
Hoven gave four important reasons why people should have control over their own data/personal information. First is the prevention of information-based harm. Radio signals are used in the RFID chips to hack into peoples information which can lead to "sniffing, skimming, and spoofing" when unauthorized users are trying to get information that is stored on the chip (Hoven, 289). There are data protection laws that require informed consent, but can that law actually protect people from being hacked? In addition, there is the issue of identity theft. Hoven stated, "One's bank account may get plundered and one's credit report may be irreversible tainted so as to exclude and from financial benefits and services" (Hoven, 290). I think this is the most harmful violation of privacy because this can ruin people's lives. People would pretty much have to start their whole lives over if the identity thief is not caught in time. Second is the prevention of informational inequalities. This is so people will not get price targeted and ensure each transaction is fair. Third is the prevention of informational injustice and discrimination. The example in the book showed people discriminating against others based on what is in their medical records. If a person had AIDS then others might try to prevent them from getting certain jobs. Fourth is the respect fro moral autonomy and identity. Public opinions can pressure people into conforming to a socially acceptable identity.
Public privacy vs. private privacy. . . Which one can cause the most harm when violated? I think private privacy is the most harmful because that information defines who we are. This is the reason why identity theft is so scary. People can make all the right decision regarding their financial what their doing in life and then their identity is stolen and they have to start over. In regards to public privacy, I do not think that exists. I think the moment you step out of the house, everything is just public. It seems like anywhere we go, we are being recorded. I think eventually there will be a device created that will be able to find people wherever they are. In the movie Furious 7, there was a computer program called God's Eye where every camera including surveillance cameras, cell phone cameras, laptop cameras, and the cameras that catch you when you run a red light were all connected. Only a name is needed and all the cameras will start looking for that person. Anything that is done in public is public knowledge so the only privacy we have is private privacy which are things done in our homes and our personal information such as our medical records.
3. Singularity & The Merging of Biological and Machine Intelligence
Singularity is the irreversible and rapid change of technology on human life. This concept is very much true because if people looked around, they would see that we are surround by technology (television, cell phones, Ipads, cars, and computers) and its constantly changing. There is a new invention everyday, which makes it harder to keep up with the innovations happening across the world, and I am sure that there are many things that are being worked on that people do not know about yet. Fifty years ago, technology was not nearly as advanced as it is today. The internet and cell phones were not invented yet, and people still read hand held books and did their research by looking through those books. If people actually thought about it, they would realize that fifty years is not that far in the past, but in technology years, fifty years is ancient history. Ray Kurzwell stated that technological growth will be subtle then it will grow at an exceptional pace, and I think that growth is happening now.
I think the merging of biological and machine intelligence started many years ago and will continue for many years to come. I think the merge happened with the first technological invention (whatever that might have been). Technology allows us to do things that would have been ultimately would have been impossible to do. Humans cannot fly, but we invented airplanes and helicopters that allow us to do so now. Deaf people are not supposed to be able to hear, but with a cochlear implant, some will be able to. Humans cannot kill lions, tigers and bears with our bear hands, but guns allow us to take them down easily. (I am not saying that I condone the killing of animals. This is just an example.) As we get deeper into technological innovations, we see the unity between our biology and machine intelligence, and I think the internet (computers) and striving for artificial intelligence are the best examples of this. The only thing separating us from computers and artificial intelligence is the fact that they have not reached or surpassed the human level of intelligence, which shows that for right now humans are still superior. As time goes on, I believe that artificial intelligence will be achieved and all the information that could possibly be in our minds will be on the internet.
Honestly, I do not know if singularity is a good thing or a bad thing. I think it is great that humans can invent such creative and life changing things, but at the same time, are these changes for the greater good? Singularity is rapid and irreversible, and I find that terrifying. If (when) artificial intelligence is achieved, there is no coming back from that because the damage will be done. Artificial intelligence being accomplished would mean that humans would become inferior. According to Ray Kurzweil, the most important implication of singularity is that "our technology will match and then vastly exceed the refinement and suppleness of what we regard as the best human traits" (Kurzweil, 2005). What will become of the human race when this happens? Would humans become obsolete? Will we become so dependent on artificial intelligence that we would not be able to think for ourselves anymore? I hope not because that is not a world I would want to live in.
5. Ava vs. Ash . . . Examples of Artificial Intelligence?
I think Ava (Ex Machina) was an example of artificial intelligence to a certain extent. Ava is an example of artificial intelligence because she was able to relate to Caleb and ultimately made him fall in love with her despite him knowing that she was artificial. In addition, the fact that she was able to manipulate Caleb into helping her escape shows that she achieved some type of artificial intelligence. She used he womanly charm to achieve her freedom, which is something anyone would have done. However, she was programmed to seduce and trick Caleb into helping her. This was the extent of her artificial intelligence because she only had one goal and that was to escape. I wish the movie had continued to show if she really did achieve full artificial intelligence. The movie left me wondering how she would interact with other humans since she already achieved what she was programmed to do. I do not think the creator, Nathan, programmed her to do anything else because obviously he had no intention to let her leave. Ava showed artificial intelligence to the extent of being able to accomplish what she was programmed to do.
I do not think Ash (Be Right Back) was an example of artificial intelligence. His knowledge of the REAL Ash was limited to his social media. The FAKE Ash was unable to embody the REAL Ash's exact personality. Because of this, Martha was become frustrated at the FAKE Ash's lack of emotion and always doing everything that she said without putting up a fight. Perhaps if Martha took the time to teach the FAKE Ash what the REAL Ash was really like then they could have lived happily ever after because he did show that he was able to learn. At the same time, it would be impossible to completely grasp the full concept of being Ash because the only person that could fully imitate the REAL Ash is the REAL Ash. In addition, Martha only able to talk to Ash over the phone could have been an example of artificial intelligence because it was obvious that Martha was able to forget that she was not talking to the REAL Ash. It was not until she bought the artificial Ash that everything changed. Also, I think that it should be taken into consideration that Martha was having a difficult time coping with the loss of her husband and being pregnant so maybe she tricked herself into thinking she was talking to the real Ash.
There are many moral obligations that humans should have for each other such as being respectful, fair, and just treating each other the way you would want to be treated, however, I don't know if that would apply nonhumans. I think it depends on the person and what they think morally. If someone sees a robot as only a machine then they most likely will not treat it with respect. I think it is hard enough to find people who are genuinely kind and respectful to other human beings so it definitely would be hard to find people who would treat robots fairly. If the robots look completely human then they would have a better chance of being treated like other humans. In addition, I think that if a robot was built to perform a certain job such as being a sex toy, slave or factory worker, people would not care how care how they treated it because it is only there to do its job.
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