Why The Future Needs Us

1183 Words5 Pages
Why the future needs us Question Bill Joy expresses a powerful pessimism about the dangers of technologies that may be developed later in our century in the attached text. Joy also a muted optimism about humans' ability to use ethical principles to avoid those dangers. Using the attached text answer the following: -What are Joy's best reasons for being pessimistic? -What are his strongest reasons for expressing optimism? -As you consider the relative strengths and weaknesses of those reasons, explain whether and why you find yourself more pessimistic or more optimistic about the issues that Joy raises. Please ensure that your essay addresses each component of the question assigned question and that your answer is well- organized, uses excellent, college-level prose, and makes judicious use of textual evidence. Answer Introduction Advances in technologies offer variety of untold promises that drives us forward: the visions of near immortal human beings in robots; treatment and outright cures for most diseases through genetic engineering; advance handling and address of more ills through nanotechnology and nanomedicine. These technologies can improve the quality of life and the average lifespan of the human race. However, bill joy expresses pessimism about the dangers of technology that may develop later in the 21st century. Bill’s pessimistic Views Today’s generations, although accustomed to living amidst numerous scientific breakthroughs, are yet to come to terms with the fact that some of the most compelling technologies of the 21st century such as genetic engineering, robotics, and nanotechnology pose different threats (Bill, 2011): comparing the older technologies with the modern, Bill asserts that although the technologies underlying the 20th century weapons of mass destruction were powerful and posed equally an enormous threat, building of the
Open Document