Technology, Robot Uprisings, and the HeartThe greatest dangers of technology may not be in robot uprisings. They are much more subtle.by Derek SchuurmanThe ancient Greek myth of Prometheus and the introduction of fire warns about the consequences of technology, and even today, it is not uncommon to encounter people who view technology with a certain amount of resigned pessimism. It seems it has become fashionable in postmodern times to view technology with a certain amount of despair. Futurists paint a grim picture of a new world in which powerful and sinister technologies are ubiquitous and intrude into all of life, and many recent movies depict scenarios of how technology will turn on us and ultimately become a threat to humanity.
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Dr. Derek Schuurman and a robot. |
Daniel Wilson, a robot researcher, took a humorous look at these fears in a recent book entitled How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion. In this book he warns that "any machine could rebel, from a toaster to a Terminator." His book is complete with practical advice on how to survive and evade roaming robot predators.
There are many legitimate concerns about computer technology (robot uprisings notwithstanding). Neil Postman, for example, has argued that technology is not neutral and does in fact change things. He notes that the designers of technology embed their personal or corporate values into technical artefacts, and as a result, technological objects are biased towards certain uses, which in turn biases a user to use them in a certain way. Technology has a way of changing things.
I don't think the greatest danger of technology will come in the form of a robot uprising or having disgruntled machines enslaving humanity. I believe the greatest danger of technology is much more subtle: it is in the way some of these changes creep into our lives and affect the way we relate, the way we spend our time, and the way we set our priorities. Technology has brought changes to the way we work, to our education, to our personal lives, and even to our worship. These practices form habits, and habits have a way of shaping our hearts. We may not need to guard ourselves against a possible robot uprising, but we do need to guard our heart, for it is the "wellspring of life" (see Proverbs 4:23).
Because of the way technology can effect change, some view it with despair, as if somehow it were more fallen than other human pursuits. But there is nothing inherent in technology that should lead to rejection or despair; although fallen, technology is another part of the latent potential in God's good creation in which we can delight. And, just as in other aspects of creation, we are called to be faithful stewards of the resource, employing technology in responsible ways that answers God's call to love our neighbour and to care for the earth and its creatures. Rather then contributing to fear or despair, technology should contribute towards shalom.
How than shall we live with technology? Do we shape technology or does it shape us? What place does technology take in our society and in our lives? These are the kinds of questions that thoughtful Christians ought to engage.
Derek Schuurman, PhD, is assistant professor of computer science at Redeemer. dschuur@cs.redeemer.ca
Originally published in Images, Spring 2008.
Used with permission. Copyright © 2008 Christianity.ca.
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