Can Technology Change What It Means to Be Human?
During the first session of our seven-part series, we dove into the question of what it means to be a person in the age of artificial intelligence and advanced technology. Our discussion was anchored on selected essays from "The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence" by Ray Kurzweil and "You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto" by Jaron Lanier.
Participants came prepared by reading the material in advance. Our main question and theme for this session was:
Can Technology Change What It Means to Be Human?
This question guided our discussion, and encouraged us to engage with the material as students contemplated its implications on our individual and collective identities.
Readings (Essays) for Class:
"2049: The Merger of Human Technology with Human Intelligence" from "The Age of Spiritual Machines" by Ray Kurzweil
In this essay, Kurzweil speculates about the future – the year 2049, to be precise – and the possibility of a merger between human technology and human intelligence. He argues that as technology becomes more sophisticated, it will become an integral part of us, transforming our understanding of what it means to be human. This essay will serve as a jumping-off point for discussions about the intersection of personhood, the human condition, and technology. It will challenge us to consider how our conception of ourselves might change as we become increasingly intertwined with the technology we create."2009: The Impact of Computation" from "The Age of Spiritual Machines" by Ray Kurzweil Kurzweil projects advancements in AI and their impacts on society and human identity.
“What Is a Person?" from "You Are Not a Gadget" by Jaron Lanier
Lanier critically examines the definition of personhood in the digital age. Jaron Lanier deeply probes the concept of personhood in our contemporary digital landscape. Lanier posits that the rise of digital technology and the internet has led to a new understanding of what constitutes a person. He argues that the online world has a tendency to devalue individuality and unique personal experiences in favor of collective identity and shared experiences. Lanier emphasizes that we must challenge and reconsider the way that technology influences our perception of self and our interactions with others.
