JAMIE D.
MEDALLA
EN1-7STEM
The Ethical Dilemmas of Robotics
(REFLECTION)
. The development of service robotics implies that, very soon, human and robots
will need to learn how to share not only environments but also activities. This might
result in competition between the two subjects, as in the case of industry automation
and the issue of job loss. In this scenario, roboticists will play a decisive role in the
establishment of the boundaries of this competition. Being aware of this responsibility
will also shape the future directions of this discipline. Thus, the theme of competition in
work environment is still a hot topic in the debate about human‐robot interaction. This is
due to the fact that, even if machine were developed by humans to support them in
risky, harmful, and repetitive works, the development of artificial intelligence is
nowadays raising the risk of excluding people from productive processes. Given the fact
that the spectrum of robot’s typologies that will be present in our future is constantly
increasing, it is becoming crucial to reflect on the ethical implications of human‐robot
coexistence. From the widely addressed theme of human replacement, especially
regarding jobs, it is now emerging the need for understanding where and how the use of
robotics is acceptable and desirable. But from primary reflections focused on safety
issues, namely how to prevent robot by hurting or replacing people, it is now getting of a
primary interest to define way not only to guarantee safety but also to enhance human
activities and expertise.
JAMIE D. MEDALLA
EN1-7STEM
Is Google Making Us Stupid?
(REFLECTION)
Carr in the article makes the point that the way we read strongly relates to the
way we think. He also cites Maryanne Wolf, who stated that reading is not an instinctual
human skill, but one that we learn. These two statements strongly correlate, since
reading and learning go hand in hand and this is where the Internet and Google comes
into play. Carr also talks about Google making us impatient with reading that we switch
up our reading material too often. The more we dive into the Internet with a thirst for
knowledge, the more we can gain from it.
There is no doubt; Google is the most powerful information database. It is
convenient and instant, but there lies the danger. It is so easy to mindlessly surf the
internet, without any clear reason. So many distractions keep us from the goal we set
when we sat down to the computer. One moment we are reading a recipe, the next we
play some flash games or watch something on YouTube and after that we end up on a
blog or a news-site. It all amounts to nothing, it is sensory overload; there is no time or
opportunity to process all this information properly. I think this is what Carr finds
disturbing about Google and the Internet in general.
When we use the Internet for gathering information, the most important thing we
need to keep in mind and search for is truth. Just because someone wrote down
something, it does not automatically mean that it is true. Without proper citation,
evidence, research and more, we cannot be sure of the validity of anything on the
Internet. Of course, there are universal truths and we can use common sense, but that
only gets us so far on a scientific level. Doing research on the Internet requires time
and, even more so, patience. The lack of these often can lead to misinformation, half-
truths and categorically incorrect results. These occurrences can be, of course, avoided
with proper care and attention.
From personal experience, I can say that all one needs are self-awareness and
the will to keep the endless distractions the Internet can provide under control, to focus
and to find purpose in gathering information on the World Wide Web. Google is a
powerful ally in research and a teacher with endless knowledge, if we know how to ask
the right questions. However, nobody is infallible, not even a machine or program,
working with mathematical precision. At the end of the day, everything accessible with
Google is man-made and open for scrutiny. Google is not a tool, but an opportunity to
better ourselves, but only with proper care and attention.
