Technological Singularity - 1755 Words

In a guest column, Computers vs. Brains on the Opinionator of The New York Times, Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang analyzed some of the arguments by inventor Raymond Kurzweil, one of the leading inventors of our time, in his most recent futurist manifesto: â€Å"The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology† (2005). Kurzweil estimates that machines will inevitably be able to surpass our thinking capabilities within a few decades. Kurzweils speculative reasoning has been heavily debated and challenged. In Aamodt and Wangs article they point out that there are fundamental differences between our brains and computers that makes Kurzweils predictions improbable. The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the arguments of sides, Kurzweils book†¦show more content†¦New revolutionary technologies are emerging fast to address this issue of increased electrical power generation and storage needs. An example is teams of MIT scientists that have created a synthetic, self-assem bling chloroplast that can be break and reassemble repeatedly, a self-restoring solar cell. (Dillow, 2010). Another example is a company called Bloom Energy, which is producing tiny fuel cell boxes called â€Å"Bloom Boxes.† Two of these can power an average U.S. home. Each device is about the size of a standard brick. Although they need to be surrounded by a larger unit that takes in an energy source, they are still about the size of a refrigerator. This alternative is already being tested by companies such as Google and eBay (Siegler, 2010). One striking feature of brain tissue is its compactness. The memory capacity in this small volume is potentially immense. For computer capacity, to begin to approach that of a human brain, as we get closer to the physical limits of silicon and other materials used in current computing components like computer chips and memory; manufacturers would possibly need to experiment with other production techniques and materials. As humans have evolved, we have developed the ability to make fast inferences in very complex situations. We can make logical approximations and find â€Å"good enough† solutions. This type of decision-making will undoubtedly be hard to match but there are already robotsShow MoreRelatedTechnological singularity Technological singularity is the hypothetical period when artificial600 Words   |  3 PagesTechnological singularity Technological singularity is the hypothetical period when artificial intelligence has progressed to the point of surpassing human intelligence, resulting in radical changes of civilization and human nature [6]. The ongoing acceleration of technology is the implication and inevitable result of what futurist and scientist Ray Kurzweil calls the Law of Accelerating Return, which described acceleration and the exponential growth of the products of an evolutionary process. TheRead MoreSupport The Frightfullly Hopeful Future of Technological Singularity675 Words   |  3 PagesSupport The Frightfully Hopeful Future of Technological Singularity Imagine. One day your Doctor regretfully informs you the person you love the most in your life is tragically going pass away due to an incurable disease. Instantly, overwhelming feelings of despair and anger burn inside your chest while graphic scenes of funeral details and goodbyes flood your mind eventually propelling you to the rhetorical question everyone asks, â€Å"Is there anything we can do?† Then, The Doctor hands you a pamphletRead MoreThe Possibilities of Technological Influences on Evolution1031 Words   |  4 Pagesthe prospect of a hyper intelligence, one that could outperform any existing human in any task, takes on a looming possible reality. A common play on this concept is the technological singularity, also frequently called the technological horizon (Ulam, 1984). Mathematician John von Neumann first coined the concept of the singularity as the hypothetical moment in which technology outpaces human intelligence in all aspects. At this point it would becom e impossible to predict the future, as it is impossibleRead MoreWill Artificial Intelligence Replace Mankind? Essay728 Words   |  3 Pagesthroughout human existence, Mankind’s ability to construct new ideas follows a logarithmic path, and is rapidly approaching an asymptote, or technological singularity. This singularity event has scientists both supporting and rejecting the concept of an imaginative plateau; the largest topic discussed is Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). When this technological singularity is reached, it is hypothesized that man’s greatest creation, an artificial sapient being, will supersede human brain capacity. AccordingRead MoreMan-vs-Machine: Who Wll Win the War? Essay1058 Words   |  5 PagesMan-vs-machine: who will win the war? Man vs Machine has been a debatable topic for centuries. So, when did it all start? One started to question the expansion of technological development after the Industrial Revolution in England. The great revolution of machines started with the Watt Steam Engine which clearly revolutionized transportation and factory production. Machines continue to experience development and media appraise till our current day. Where does the Man fit in? The inventor of thoseRead MoreThe Progression Of Advanced Technology Single Handedly Alters Humans1378 Words   |  6 Pagesintelligence is coming, there is little  debate about that, but what is being widely debated is what that means for humanity at a biological level, as well as at a societal level. Will humans be smarter and more advanced than ever before because of these technological advancements, or will we become so contingent on technology that we will  become sub-standard to artificial intelligence and robots?  This is the question many expert media theorists and journalists ask, and a clear answer is not manifest  dueRead MoreHuman Intelligence And The Biomedical Engineering Field1384 Words   |  6 PagesVernor Vinge states, â€Å"I have argued above that we cannot prevent the Singularity, that its coming is an inevitable consequence of the humans natural competitiveness and the possibilities inherent in technology.† Technological singularity is on the verge of having a massive breakthrough but are we ready for what it brings? Raymond Kurzweil, an American author, believes that singularity will emerge in 2045. Technological singularity is an event in which artificial intelligent machines go beyond humanRead MoreIs The Internet Single Handedly Alters The Way?1270 Words   |  6 Pagesthan the intelligence that exists naturally within the human mind. How much will our biological intelligence and environmental acumen transform as we approach the age of Singularity? Ray Kurzweil adroitly asks , â€Å"†¦What is the Singularity? From my perspective, the Singularity is a future period during which the pace of technological change will be so fast and far-reaching that human existence on this planet will be irreversibly altered.† (K) Ray Kurzweil similarly argues that this rapidRead MoreAnalysis Of Daniel Kahneman s Thinking Fast And Slow Essay1648 Words   |  7 Pagesmachines can be capable of making sound moral decisions, which are so profoundly complex that even humans sometimes struggle with it. In his famous book The Singularity is Near, Ray Kurzweil argues that due to the law of accelerating returns, we will reach the singularity by 2045, citing many examples of technological development. The singularity refers to a time when progress is so rapid that it outstrips a human’s ability to understand it. Afterwards he predicts intelligence will radiate outward fromRead MoreComputers and Human-Level Intelligence Essays1498 Words   |  6 PagesComputers are taking more and more jobs and this trend will accelerate as we approach technological singularity. This is the event â€Å"when computers will attain human-level intelligence† Natalie Wolchover states. The singularity is projected to arrive sometime around 2030 -2040, but it could occur sooner depending on how computer technology develops. Wolchover states: Physicist, author and self-described futurist Ray Kurzweil has predicted that computers will come to par with humans within two decades