The Uncanny Valley
In the current tech heavy society that we live in now, there are many things about what we could accomplish in the future and what effects it will have on us. This fairly new phenomena that is occurring is the introduction to the "post-human" era. This means that we are slowly but surely making advances towards developing more and more human like entities. The most well known are currently artificial intelligence (or Self-Learning Technology) and androids.
This movement towards finding more ways to make things more convenient has been around for a while, but what if we take it too far? To satisfy the needs of costumers (in a capitalistic manner), companies would love to use whatever method in order to gain as many supporters as possible. With this new integration of automation, it helps save money and increase sales in the long run. On a business report, this sounds amusing, but with new inventions like this there has to be ethical considerations that follow suit.
To be able to communicate to one another and to have human-human interactions is what makes us different than majority of other species. But what if beings other than ourselves to perform these same functions, except with little to no errors? Do we still consider it human? Computer programs and man-made robots have improved in the past 10 years, to where these machines can be made to be more responsive and life like than we have ever imagined. Automated response bots are a prime example, because one can communicate to it just the same as any person. There is something very obvious that happens when comparing the two interactions. When participating in a normal conversation, there are many mannerisms and "small" talk that we do (and since we do it so casually) we feel at ease. On the other hand, when we are faced with a mechanical device that can reply to us from a collection of stored data, no matter the topic, no matter how in-depth/controversial, it speaks in such a systematic fashion, that we as a collective can not come to terms with this unfamiliarity. Thus bringing the theory of the Uncanny Valley and how it can explain this. As time and progress is made, the more we are separated from the current human era. There will be a higher chance that we will feel more insecure/afraid of technological advancements the more an android/A.I looks/acts like a healthy human being.
2 comments:
I think you're absolutely spot on with this post. People see a lot of these new technological advances as the latest thing, what's "in" and just a new convenience but I personally think we have crossed the line in some ways. But like you mentioned, most businesses are not concerned with the ethical as long as they are bringing in more revenue. Plus, the masses are so blinded to what's going on right in front of their faces that they don't even think to ask... hmmm, what's really going on here?
We are living in the current age of digital media and robotics. There is no denying that one bit. You do summarize Mori's Theory of the Uncanny Valley and give context about the "post-human" era, however you failed to discuss possible moral/ethical questions of Black Mirror "Be Right Back" episode. How else can you be able to apply these philosophical concepts to hypothetical scenarios such as depicted in the TV series Black Mirror? It is good you are knowledgeable of the lectured topics, but why are they relevant or applicable to moral dilemmas or ethical behavior of humans in their relationship with technology? This what you post lacks.
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