Technology and Innovation: Is Nothing Sacred?

Perhaps the best measure of mankind's success and evolution is the advancements of tools and technology. The wheel, the printing press, and the airplane are all perfect examples of this progression. The latest in this series is the adolescent computer, still an enigma, with a great deal yet to be discovered and utilized. Still, along with these uncanny and exciting developments come potentially equally negative side-effects and consequences. Science and technology seem to hold the answers for the future, but people should not put all their trust in these areas alone because they don't hold all the answers. Ethics will play a crucial factor in the survival of the human race alongside the evolution of the computer. If people do not deeply consider the implications and driving forces of technological innovation, the human race could find itself obsolete - or even worse – extinct.

Ask any baby boomer for a “when i was your age” story and they will be able supply you with a book full of scenarios. To think that some people witnessed the invention of the television, the first steps on the moon, and the invention of the microchip all in one lifetime is an incredible notion. Nowadays some people find it impossible to imagine a life without computers. After all of that, one would think it impossible that the world could change more drastically than it has the past 50, or even 100 years. The computer alone holds this potential for change, and it has only begun to reshape the world.

Computer technology is everywhere now, penetrating almost all areas of life. The benefits and applications of these tools seem not only endless, but extremely possible. Perhaps the main reason for this phenomenon is what is referred to as Moore's Law. Stated by Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore in 1965, the law predicted that the number of transistors that can be placed on a circuit is increasing exponentially, doubling approximately every two years. History has confirmed the truth of Moore's Law thus-far, and if the trend continues, by 2040 personal computers will be as powerful as the human brain at the price of $1000.

blue collar robot

One of the most popular ideas of the future with respect to the computer and microchip is the area of robotics. Not only are robots being developed to automate human tasks, they are also being designed to emulate pets, humans, or other natural life-forms. Artificial Intelligence(AI) is becoming more and more of a reality. Still, reality always bites to some degree, meaning the dangers have yet to be realized or discussed. With these advancements in robotics and automation, human jobs are being taken over by computers and robots. Any labor intensive job could be replaced by a robot, and a robot would do a better job to boot. Whether the job is supermarket teller or assembly-line worker, a robot will one day be able to fill the role of a human. The automation phenomenon has already started to happen at fast food restaurants, gas stations, etc. In fact, the world has completely online banks like Etrade Financial, as well as computer companies like Dell with no retail stores. The only factor preventing the complete automation of all blue-collar jobs is the cost and availability. Marshall Brain predicts this reality:

“...you could buy a humanoid robot for about $10,000. That robot could clean bathrooms, take out trash, wipe down tables, mop floors, sweep parking lots, mow grass and so on. One robot (could) replace three six-hour-a-day employees. The owner (would) fire the three employees and in just four months the owner recover the cost of the robot.”

He fears this scenario could actually be playing out by 2055. Could it be that eventually a robot or a computer will be able to do any task better than a human? Even if one's job isn't replaced by some tech-advancement, new technology has enabled outsourcing to be another viable alternative to expensive human capital. An executive can hire real people from India, China, or another country for a programming job in the US, paying robot-like wages. Andrew Leonard sees these advancements penetrating not only the blue, but white-collar class as well:

“The great fear about offshoring is that it is poised to move up the value chain, replacing high-paid white-collar jobs in the developed world with cheaper foreign competition”3

Money and efficiency are obviously important drivers in innovation, but is their impetus too strong? Mankind must now closely reconsider their place in the world.

Science can now work at the most microscopic of levels in areas like genetics and nanotechnology. Recently, the first man-made synthetic genome was created. The first conceived uses of this include:

“custom-design organisms, essentially creating biological robots that can produce from scratch chemicals humans can use. Biofuels like ethanol, for example.”4

Still, this is only the beginning:

“Voigt estimated that a synthetic human genome -- which could be used in human cloning research -- could be created by 2014.”

Here, another scary reality surfaces. Genetic engineering is no longer a science fiction tale, it is happening now. A scientist named Samuel Wood has even successfully cloned himself with his own skin cells and a few natural embryos.5 To some, it seems that engineering humans is wrong, immoral, or unethical. Perhaps engineering a human only produces an organic robot, devoid of the randomness and imperfections of nature. Others see this as a step forward towards eliminating harmful diseases and other health problems. The feature film Gattaca concentrates on this very scenario. When Antonio and his wife go to have their next baby created, they are concerned about having too much control over the way their son will turn out before he is even born. The doctor assures them, saying,

“This child is still you, it is just the best of you. You could conceive naturally one thousand times and never achieve such a result.”6

Should we be able to control gender, hair color, negative addictive traits, and other aspects of human life? Most parents would love to ensure their children are free of alcoholism and heart disease. Still, this is very new territory and must be treaded cautiously, lest we make Frankenstein's mistake of creating a monster we cannot control.


Even if we don't genetically engineer people, the possibility of implanted chips and bionic limbs is another likely alternative. Who knows, our limbs and body parts may even one day be obsolete. If Moore's Law does hold true, the future will have a vast microcosm of mini-devices running simultaneously with everyday life, even inside of people. Processors, cameras, microphones, and almost any electronics will be smaller than the eye can see. Everything will contain some information as it is linked in to the system with everything else. Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) chips are the current incarnation of this idea. These inexpensive microscopic chips can be placed in anything, and can easily store and/or send information. In his article Perspective: RFID tags: Big Brother in small packages, Declan McCullagh writes:

“It becomes unnervingly easy to imagine a scenario where everything you buy that's more expensive than a Snickers will sport RFID tags”7

This will mean information and computers will be heavily embedded in everyday life. This intrusion at the cost of efficiency is something to be strongly considered before we go crossing the Rhine!
RFID tag implanted in a human hand

The high traffic flow of information will allow for exponential increases in productivity. Still, what of personal security and privacy? Well, with the modern age and new technological era, our old notions of privacy go out the window. Essentially, as a consumer or internet user, a person forgoes a great deal of personal information by default. McCullagh's vision:

“in the future, we could be tracked because we'll be wearing, eating and carrying objects that are carefully designed to do so. “

Data and user information already go for premiums to any business that wants to advertise. Eventually, companies will be able to custom tailor spam to suit individual tastes. All your habits, likes, and dislikes will be recorded and analyzed. Just imagine the type of information the government could attain with this sort of capability. It is feasible that all aspects of life will be capably monitored. This “Big Brother” fear comes straight out of Orwell. But let's not forget about the ever-growing problem of identity theft. With your personal information out there just flying around, who knows who will have access to it? It's possible some hacker from half way around the globe could drain your bank account in a matter of minutes. The one gleam of light is the balance between privacy and security – a supposed zero sum game. The lack of privacy will hopefully be counteracted by superfluously heavy security - but who knows – people are always vulnerable.




This quest for improvement has even more serious implications. Our environment is now in dire risk. E-waste(electronic waste) is a growing issue. The problem is that most electronics contain toxic chemicals such as barium, cadmium and mercury. Currently, a popular solution to the problem is to ship the waste to other countries, as Richard Koman explains:

“According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 20 million pounds of e-waste was shipped to foreign ports last year from California, reports Sign on San Diego. And since the recycling industry is self-reporting, the amount of e-waste could be much higher.”8

Furthermore, companies like Intel and Apple produce a great deal of toxic waste, having failed most national standards.9 Despite Intel's initiative to run a cleaner shop by becoming the largest purchaser of green power in the US, this only mildly mitigates the problem. Legislation is not enacted against these companies because of their supposed importance to the economy and the unprecedented nature of the situation.


Even the most basic human interactions could be lost with this new technological age. The nature of communities and relationships are changing. There are so many ways of communicating indirectly, it seems like direct contact typically only comes when necessary. A person can instant message, email, or text someone depending on preference. Also, with the internet, people don't have to go out to get things – they can just order it from their desk and wait for it in the mail. As far as Dating and matchmaking goes - it can be done online. Why waste time taking different girls out on dates looking for your soul-mate if a web site can find her for you? Virtual and Global communities are now popular, but is it at the cost of traditional face to face interaction? The computer makes everything so easy, people barely need to go out. This could definitely lead to people being more sedentary and could possibly further feed America's growing obesity dilemma. There is even a new disorder classified as “technology addiction” or “technology overload”:

“Another research paper, published in 2007 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology by a psychiatrist at Tel Aviv University, recommended that Internet addiction be regarded as an extreme disorder on par with gambling, sex addiction and kleptomania.”10

Our dependence on technology can become a crutch, disabling from convetntional interaction. John O'Neill, the director of addictions services at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas confirms this:

"We can become overloaded by technology and suffer consequences in our relationships”

People must remember what is important, and maintain human contact before we lose touch.

The greatest danger innovation can bring is the unknown. The sword almost always cuts both ways, bringing new problems along with the solution. Any new invention comes with the risk of opening another Pandora's box. Albert Einstein is a perfect example. He said,

“I made one great mistake in my life... when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made,”

meaning that he did not foresee the scope of the negative effects the bomb would leave on the world. Like Einstein, many scientists and engineers get anxiety about new inventions, and the possibility of their misuse or failure. It is impossible to foresee all of the negative effects that will come with a new breakthrough, as there will always be a danger of unintended side-effects and unforeseen consequences. Murphy's Law classically states that all that can go wrong will go wrong. For this reason, we must use discretion, not necessarily pushing for a fully optimized and efficient world. Perhaps we should take a page from the Luddite's book, and destroy some of our own creations for the sake of our livelihood.



Technology is neither good or bad on its own – nothing is – until it gets into the hands of a human. People will always continue to innovate and discover new interesting things about our world, as it is only human nature to be curious. But, with all this talk of science, many other important aspects of life get pushed aside. Is there space for ethics, religion, metaphysics, and art in this new day and age? There ought to be, otherwise we face a rude awakening to a totally engineered world devoid of beauty and possibly humanity. We must always be aware of ourselves and the fact that there are more important things to the world than science. Jonah Lehrer stresses this socratic ideal saying,

“the sciences must recognize that their truths are not the only truths. No knowledge has a monopoly on knowledge.”