Science 10 Technologies We Really Shouldn't Create

**Bowser** · 09-17-2014, 08:14 AM

http://io9.com/10-horrifying-technol...wed-1635238363

The real question is how many of these already exist?

**Bowser** · 09-17-2014, 08:16 AM

10. Hell Engineering

This one's quite similar to the previous item. Some futurists make the case for paradise engineering — the use of advanced technologies, particularly consciousness uploading and virtual reality, to create a heaven on Earth. But if you can create heaven, you can create hell. It's a prospect that's particularly chilling when you consider lifespans of indefinite length, along with the nearly boundless possibilities for psychological and physical anguish. This is actually one of the worst things I can think of; why anyone would want to develop such a thing is beyond me. It's yet another reason for banning the development of artificial superintelligence — and the onset of the so-called Roko's Basilisk problem.

This sounds intriguing to me. Not hell, but eternal paradise? Who wouldn't want that?

**Bowser** · 09-17-2014, 08:19 AM

And how do we know that time travel not only exists, but is heavily used by future societies? Hell, we could go back and make sure the kicker not to be named never makes the tem!

**notorious** · 09-17-2014, 08:20 AM

Mind, prepare to be:

**Dave Lane** · 09-17-2014, 08:21 AM

All of it, other than weaponized viruses, could be mans greatest achievement. Much like the internal combustion engine, atomic energy and even the most destructive technology ever developed: bow and arrows. It's all in how it is used.

**Bowser** · 09-17-2014, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

All of it, other than weaponized viruses, could be mans greatest achievement. Much like the internal combustion engine, atomic energy and even the most destructive technology ever developed: bow and arrows. It's all in how it is used.

Stephen Hawking disagrees with you -

http://io9.com/stephen-hawking-says-...-in-1570963874

**notorious** · 09-17-2014, 08:25 AM

Last year, for example, scientists from the Netherlands used brain scan data and computer algorithms to determine which letters a person was looking at. The breakthrough hinted at the potential for a third party to reconstruct human thoughts at an unprecedented level of detail, including what we see, think, and remember. Such devices, if used en masse by some kind of totalitarian regime or police state, would make life intolerable. It would introduce an Orwellian world in which our "thought crimes" could actually be enforced. (image: Radboud University Nijmegen)

Yikes.

**Dave Lane** · 09-17-2014, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowser

Stephen Hawking disagrees with you -

http://io9.com/stephen-hawking-says-...-in-1570963874

He's been wrong before. I have more "faith" we could do it right. Stopping progress because we are scared of the future is not only stupid but gutless.

**notorious** · 09-17-2014, 08:28 AM

The Virtual Prison is interesting.

**Bowser** · 09-17-2014, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notorious

The Virtual Prison is interesting.

Yeah, very Minority Report-ish. Might deter a few people from committing crimes if they understood they had to sit a thousand virtual years thinking about it.

**notorious** · 09-17-2014, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowser

Yeah, very Minority Report-ish. Might deter a few people from committing crimes if they understood they had to sit a thousand virtual years thinking about it.

I was thinking about applying the idea to training.

Imagine learning to fly a plane in a couple hours? Medical training in a day?

Want to learn Karate?

**BigRedChief** · 09-17-2014, 08:37 AM

#1, #2 and #8 already exist.

Marcellus · 09-17-2014, 08:38 AM

I thought the subject of computers with Concious was pretty interesting.

Quote:

One of the best things about computers is that you can make them sum a million columns in a spreadsheet without them getting resentful or bored. Since we plan to use artificial intelligence in place of human intellectual labor, I think it would be immoral to purposely program it to be conscious. Trapping a conscious being inside a machine and forcing it to do work for you is isomorphic to slavery. Additionally, consciousness is probably really fragile. In humans, a few miscoded genes can cause Down Syndrome, schizophrenia, autism, or epilepsy. So how terrible would it feel to be a slightly misprogrammed form of consciousness?

**Bowser** · 09-17-2014, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notorious

I was thinking about applying the idea to training.

Imagine learning to fly a plane in a couple hours? Medical training in a day?

Want to learn Karate?

Yeah, this would be pretty bad ass...

**ptlyon** · 09-17-2014, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowser

This sounds intriguing to me. Not hell, but eternal paradise? Who wouldn't want that?

Chiefs fans. Because we like things that suck.

09-17-2014, 08:14 AM
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $3191616	10 Technologies We Really Shouldn't Create http://io9.com/10-horrifying-technol...wed-1635238363 The real question is how many of these already exist?
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09-17-2014, 08:19 AM	#3
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $3191616	And how do we know that time travel not only exists, but is heavily used by future societies? Hell, we could go back and make sure the kicker not to be named never makes the tem!
Posts: 101,054

09-17-2014, 08:20 AM	#4
notorious Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Who knows? Casino cash: $2645884	Mind, prepare to be:
Posts: 83,553

09-17-2014, 08:21 AM	#5
Dave Lane Space Cadet and Aczabel Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Kanab, UT, USA Casino cash: $9333275 VARSITY	All of it, other than weaponized viruses, could be mans greatest achievement. Much like the internal combustion engine, atomic energy and even the most destructive technology ever developed: bow and arrows. It's all in how it is used. __________________ Thanks, Trump for the civics lesson. We are learning so much about RICO, espionage, sedition, impeachment, the 25th Amendment, order of succession, nepotism, separation of powers, 1st Amendment, obstruction of justice, the emoluments clause, conflicts of interest, collusion, sanctions, oligarchs, money laundering and so much more.
Posts: 40,584

09-17-2014, 08:25 AM	#7
notorious Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Who knows? Casino cash: $2645884	Last year, for example, scientists from the Netherlands used brain scan data and computer algorithms to determine which letters a person was looking at. The breakthrough hinted at the potential for a third party to reconstruct human thoughts at an unprecedented level of detail, including what we see, think, and remember. Such devices, if used en masse by some kind of totalitarian regime or police state, would make life intolerable. It would introduce an Orwellian world in which our "thought crimes" could actually be enforced. (image: Radboud University Nijmegen) Yikes.
Posts: 83,553

09-17-2014, 08:16 AM	#2
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $3191616	10. Hell Engineering This one's quite similar to the previous item. Some futurists make the case for paradise engineering — the use of advanced technologies, particularly consciousness uploading and virtual reality, to create a heaven on Earth. But if you can create heaven, you can create hell. It's a prospect that's particularly chilling when you consider lifespans of indefinite length, along with the nearly boundless possibilities for psychological and physical anguish. This is actually one of the worst things I can think of; why anyone would want to develop such a thing is beyond me. It's yet another reason for banning the development of artificial superintelligence — and the onset of the so-called Roko's Basilisk problem. This sounds intriguing to me. Not hell, but eternal paradise? Who wouldn't want that?
Posts: 101,054

09-17-2014, 08:28 AM	#9
notorious Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Who knows? Casino cash: $2645884	The Virtual Prison is interesting.
Posts: 83,553

09-17-2014, 08:37 AM	#12
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $2859627 VARSITY	#1, #2 and #8 already exist. __________________ Time is worth more than money.
Posts: 79,212