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Perfectly working technology can make society more like a soulless machine, less like a healthy living organism. It trivializes and fixates execution of importa
by effie 5y ago
Perfectly working technology can make society more like a soulless machine, less like a healthy living organism. It trivializes and fixates execution of important processes which should rather have the possibility to be evolved.
For example, we can make an algorithm that ranks (and decides fate of) webpages or pandemic data, or applicants for special training programs, or for higher learning - all this via ranking members via some utility function.
Take the last example of applicants. We can make that tech perfect with respect to the given utility function (IQ, expected profit from individual's life's work). But putting that perfect math decision process into universal practice, we will cause various unknown unhealthy biases to maintain or develop themselves and prevent the outsiders not captured by the utility function from getting a chance. See the movie G.A.T.T.A.C.A. for compelling depiction of society like that.
One way to prevent this dystopic stagnation via perfection is to apply the "perfect technology" less strictly and allow for some randomization. Put some humanity into practice.
We can make a technology perfect for some purpose, but we can't seem to agree on the purposes. So maybe don't put perfect technology everywhere.
"Wanna perfect technology? Be careful what you wish for".