Daegon's Foresight

Technological Progress and Potential Future Risks Darrell M. West Brookings Institution, Washington D. C., USA Original Article URL https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/articles/technological-progress-and-potential-future-risks/ What is the main point(s) of the reading? In recent years, robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technologies are rapidly developing, and these technologies are beginning to be widely applied and used in almost all areas. This is because not only the development and stabilization of simple technology, but also the decrease in the cost of using the technology. In fact, we experience robots delivering food directly to the table in restaurants, or drones delivering delivery boxes home (although still limited to some areas and short distances). Also, in warehouses, robots are replacing workers with forklifts to sort things out. why? Because the collectives of technology are more accurate and faster than humans. Not only that. Machines evolved from bein...

What is the main point(s) of the reading? In the not-too-distant future, we will soon see the birth of beings that surpass human intelligence. (In 1993, the author predicted it would appear around mid-2020.) The author refers to two pathways through which future changes and singularities occur. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Intelligence Amplification (IA). The first path (AI) will be a machine with a superhuman intelligence system that surpasses human intelligence. In fact, as hardware continues to develop, the intelligence level of machines will surpass that of humans at some point. Among the various living things that exist on Earth, human intelligence and abilities have increased exponentially, and the gap with the rest of life has widened over time. And at some point in the future, machines that have been so advanced may no longer need humans for their survival and development. Perhaps we think that the current pace of development is not fast enough. However, this rate of develo...

Tradition and Modernity - Misplaced Polarities in the Study of Social Change Joseph R. Gusfield Original Article URL https://www.jstor.org/stable/2775860 What is the main point(s) of the reading/theory? What is the evidence that the theory is valid?   Many people think that the opposite of tradition is modernity. However, the author, Joseph R. Gusfield, disputes this view. According to him, people tend to think of traditions as static, normatively relevant, and structurally homogeneous. On the other hand, modernity is considered by people to be effective and practical for almost all cultures. In other words, many people have the following basic assumptions: “The existing institutions and values ​​that are an important part of the tradition hinder change and hinder modernization.”   However, the author argues that tradition and modernity are complementary and can be applied very differently depending on the applicable environment. In fact, this article states that Max Weber's t...