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Mckenzie Patterson

Mrs. Harris

English 4

27 October 2017

Risk of Smart Technology

Scientific and technological progress is going beyond what generations ago would have

ever imagined. The things we are capable of doing in the twenty-first century is things that one

used to be thought of as impossible. Medical technology makes so many new possibilities for

todays society. There are countless advantages, but where do we stop ourselves and ask if this is

an ethical thing to do? Many people believe these countless possibilities are only going to

progress our society, but what if we take things too far? Technology could take over our lives as

we know it, and we could essentially not be able to live our daily lives without it.

Brain to brain interface is direct communication from one brain to another through

implanted electrodes. Elon Musk says, Its a collaboration between a brain and a device that

enables signals from the brain to direct some external activity, such as control of a cursor or a

prosthetic limb (Musk). The interface enables a direct communication pathway between the

brain and the object to be controlled.

Although this can have many advantages, what about the risks? Since the electrodes are

implanted epidurally or subdurally, there is a risk of infection and hemorrhage. Beyond physical

damage, the human race could begin to no longer be able to think for themselves or make their

own decisions. Computers could get too smart and control us instead of us controlling them and
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there could be an electronic takeover. With humans relying on computers, the computers

being the control center of everything, and being the way society would function then what

happens if it all crashes? We would lose everything and be left with essentially nothing. Society

would have to rebuild itself and learn how to start over.

These dangers are similar to those of Frankenstein. Just like computers taking over

humans and possibly getting a mind of its own, Frankensteins monster was built out of dead

body parts and had an operating mind that functioned on its own. In chapter five it says, I had

desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of

the dream vanished, the breathless horror and disgust filled my heart (Shelly 42). His mind was

not developed like that of a human child and taught properly. His creator even ran from him.

This resulted in dangerous actions that sometimes ended peoples lives. The technology of

creating a person, besides the natural way of fertilization, could be advantageous especially to

those not physically able to have a child of their own. But what happens when there is faulty

equipment or the ending product did not go as designed and malfunctions. If not captured and

destroyed, which would be a hard decision for anyone to make, it could cause major destruction

without even knowing what decision it is making.

There are also scientific risks seen in The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Jenna is filled with

something called bio-gel. It replaces all the parts of her lost in a car accident. The only

problem is she is not her old self anymore. She is not the real Jenna Fox. With this substance in

her, it restricts her and it makes her very fragile. She says, Is she careful because she thinks I

will break (Pearson). She isnt able to live in certain places because the substance can only

survive in specific climates. She does not remember anything about her old self because parts of

her brain are replaced with this gel and she has to relearn how to do things and relearn everything
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about her old self. There is a risk of death from default, but on top of the physical risks, it is

illegal. She is a secret, and also labeled a freak.

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Works Cited

http://whatis.techtarget.com/

http://www.sciencealert.com/experts-reveal-the-potential-dangers-of-elon-musk-s-neuralink-

brain-interface

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain%E2%80%93computer_interface

Shelly, Mary, Frankenstein, New York, Penguin Group, 1965

Pearson, Mary, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Virginia, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, 2009