All Entries in the "Technology" Category

Frankenstein underestimated the threat that was posed by the monster he had created. Ray Kurzweil believes that AI - or "Frankentelligence" - will be humanity's greatest achievement. I think it is fair to say that Kurzweil's perspective is distorted by the same blind spot that clouded Dr. Frankenstein's thinking.

It’s Alive!! Ray Kurzweil, AI, and Frankentelligence

If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain. Morpheus in The Matrix. Ray Kurzweil is obsessed with artificial intelligence (AI). Kurzweil has written a series of bestselling books–most recently How to Create a Mind–in which he advances the argument that machine intelligence [...]

Timothy McGettigan | Nov 14, 2012 | Comments 1

In the 1990s, IBM's Deep Blue gained the notoriety of defeating Garry Kasparov, the reigning world champion, in a chess match. Remarkable as this feat may have been, Deep Blue could not be described as an "artificially intelligent" computer. In 1950, Alan Turing stated that computers would not achieve AI until they were capable of fooling interactants into believing that the computers were in fact human. IBM's Watson represents the next great leap in the quest for AI. Yet, spectacular as Watson's computing capabilities may be, Watson still flunk the Turing Test 100 times out of 100.

Artificial Intelligence: Is Watson the Real Thing?

Artificial intelligence represents a threshold in computing that will transform machines into human-like intellectual entities. In a world grown used to rapid technological progress, it hardly stretches the imagination to contemplate next-generation computers that are substantially smaller and more powerful than their predecessors. However, the goal of transforming computers into sentient beings is an entirely different matter.

Timothy McGettigan | Oct 20, 2012 | Comments 0

For some, Star Trek is nothing but a corny 1960s scifi series. For others, Star Trek represents the best and brightest path to the future that humans have ever been able to imagine. Live long and prosper!

Get Your Geek On! The 100 Year Starship Symposium

“The 100 Year Starship Mission will transform 20th century Star Trek science fiction into 21st century fact!” Nichelle Nichols Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura I have been to a lot of conferences in my day, but I have never been to any meeting that is quite like the 100 Year Starship Symposium. 100yss is currently taking [...]

Timothy McGettigan | Sep 14, 2012 | Comments 0

He Said, She Said (At the Speed of Light!)

The first article I wrote for the SocJournal set the tone for my general opinion in regards to social media and online “friends.” I discussed the concept of cyber “friends” with a dear friend of mine when he offered up a “lesson learned” story which had recently taken place. To steal a phrase from Estelle [...]

Tim Hutchcraft | May 31, 2011 | Comments 0

Facebook is a Spy Machine

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again Facebook ain’t your friend. From the facile and shallow way it connects people to the awesome power it gives authorities to monitor and surveille, Facebook is a technology born not in the hallways of emancipation and freedom but in the byways of power and control. Or at least, that’s what Julian Assange founder of WikiLeaks thinks and frankly, I tend to agree. Never before in this history of this planet have so many been monitored by so few with so little responsible oversight.

Dr. Michael Sosteric | May 18, 2011 | Comments 0

Are you my “friend?”

Is it really possible to have 800 “friends.” Does connecting through FaceBook really mean you’re connected in life? Or does the proliferation of one-click social media really represent the emasculation OF human social contact? Like the reduction of human marriage to the consumerist frenzy of the marriage ceremony, new technologies do not necessarily mean a better life, better friends, or deeper connection. In fact, perhaps exactly the opposite. New social media elevate superficial social display to epic proportions and neuter the supportive and transformative potential of authentic human relations. Viva la revolution… NOT!

Tim Hutchcraft | Apr 24, 2011 | Comments 3

A technological utopia?

The view propogated by the media companies and sellers of technology is that technology is freedom. From early dishwashers to the recent spate of ads hawking the latest social phones, technology leads to utopia. But does it? Does being connected 24/7 through multiple devices really lead to quality of life, or does it degrade life and provide one other way for us to be monitored, controlled, and over worked?

KathleenSchwab | Aug 09, 2010 | Comments 0