Without curiosity, there is no civilisation…
Technology means progress. That is the prevailing view. And rightly so. But what about the risks? A fascinating topic that participants in the TechTafels project recently explored, following a presentation on the Einstein Telescope and a visit to the ETpathfinder.
Brainstorm
TechTafels is one of the projects run by the Avansa Limburg training centre in Hasselt, Belgium. The participants were keen to take part in the brainstorming session. They posed questions such as: is technology taking control? Or: if AI becomes smarter than humans, will artificial intelligence then also become ‘the boss’ of humanity?
Certainly, the group seemed convinced of the opportunities offered by the Einstein Telescope – not only from a purely scientific perspective, but also regarding the applications of these technologies in other sectors. Compare it to the lasers developed for CERN decades ago, which, as a ‘by-product’, have helped the medical world make enormous strides with scanner technology. Or how NASA’s moon missions laid the foundations for the freeze-drying technology used in our frozen pizzas today.
Applications
In short, what begins as pure science can find very useful and practical applications in other fields.
Flint
What does history teach us? Project leader Alejandro Chávez Sáenz of Avansa Limburg described how the invention of flint once represented a huge step forward for people in the Stone Age. But the downside was that you could also use that flint to set your enemy’s huts alight. Or take that other example centuries later: the Industrial Revolution. New machines were invented, taking over the heavy, unhealthy work previously done by people. Progress, you might say, but workers who saw their jobs vanish into the smoke of a steam engine rose up in protest. And in their wake, the elite, who feared that social unrest would threaten their privileged position.
Technologies
Are there risks associated with the new technologies and techniques? Will AI take control of humanity, or at least become smarter than us mere mortals? These are questions that can be answered from many different angles, as became clear during the discussion. On the subject of the mobile phone. Well, phone? The forum did agree that young people – and those who are no longer so young – certainly do not use ‘the thing’ primarily as a phone. It was noted that the younger generation seems almost afraid to pick up a phone and strike up a conversation. A smiley is the new way of communicating. On the other hand, however, the mobile also functions as an automatic blood pressure monitor, making a monthly check-up at the doctor’s unnecessary.
Social media
The Avansa guests discussed the digital possibilities at length, though they by no means always regard them as blessings.
Out of fear of revealing personal details, one lady said she deliberately avoids using Facebook. On the other hand, she noted that this choice means she misses out on all sorts of information about her own neighbourhood or village, and that this sometimes makes her feel left out. Meanwhile, another participant pointed out that history has taught us that human beings are curious. Curious for more. Curious for better. In short, without curiosity, our civilisation cannot evolve.
Opportunity or threat?
The pros and cons were discussed at length. Drawing on numerous examples and opinions, we ended with a new question: is it technological progress itself that is threatening? Or is it the way people deal with it? And, as one of the guests suggested: evolution is also about losing skills! Proof of that point: who can still use a flint these days?
Example
A nice final touch: there was a mobile phone on the table that recorded the entire conversation and converted it directly into text. The group could see the spoken words appear instantly on the big screen. It’s certainly handy, rather than having to type out everything later from handwritten minutes. Without stretching one’s imagination too far, you could describe it as a practical example of technological progress.