March 19, 2020
Design, Technology & Society
Where To Draw The Line?
In the book The Whale and the Reactor, in the chapter Technologies as Forms of Life, Langdon Winner discusses the philosophy of technology and describes human-technology relationships as technological somnambulism. He suggests that we view technology merely as tools—something that can be put down and picked up again, and something from which we can easily detach ourselves. [1] Winner also notes that by altering the shape of material things, humanity changes itself, and technology appears to create new worlds by restructuring the common and everyday things around us. [2] The author introduces the concept of technological determinism, which, instead of viewing technology as part of a broader spectrum of human activity, sees it as the foundation of all human activity. [3] This analysis leads to the question: "Could technology be considered both a form of life and a tool at the same time in technology-mediated situations?" Consequently, the question arises, "What is a form of life?" There are two possible interpretations: from a scientific perspective and in terms of human perception and consciousness. A combined definition from Trifanov and NASA states, "Life is an entity with the ability to adapt to its environment." [4] Can we satisfy this definition by stating that immortal AI does not need to replicate, and that humanity acts as the evolutionary force towards AI? Some definitions of life include non-cellular forms such as viruses and viroids. Similarly, technologies cannot exist without functioning within human society.
For evolutionary biologists, astrobiologists, and artificial-life researchers, the core aspects that should define life differ significantly, making it nearly impossible to find a common denominator. There are entities that exhibit all the formal signs of life but are not alive, yet can be perceived as forms of life.
1 (Winner, 1988)
2 (Winner, 1988)
3 (Winner, 1988)
4 (Chamary, 2019)
5 (Chamary, 2019)
Consider, for instance, the Social Credit System in China, where Artificial Intelligence technology will soon be implemented. The core of this system is information technologies, which are essential for its functionality. At its most basic level, the system aims to reward desirable behavior and punish undesirable behavior. This decision-making will eventually be governed by AI. Linked to Chinese mass surveillance systems like Skynet, which incorporates facial recognition, big data analysis, AI, and Project Maven, the system influences people's habits, behaviors, and moral principles by determining societal norms and suppressing dissent. If this system operates for a century, new generations might not see it as a governmental tool but as a given part of their environment—a form of life—since they have never experienced life without it. As Winner suggests, humans must adapt; major changes to the source of change are not possible, only minor modifications. [6] Thus, technology not only meets the essential criteria of life—to shape its environment and adapt—but also becomes a form of life for this society. The construction of technical systems involving humans as operational parts necessitates a reconstruction of social roles and relationships. It cannot function unless human behavior adapts to its form and process. [7]
On the other hand, technology is the evolution of tools used by humanity for centuries to improve living conditions and has been advanced to the highest degree. Technology has not created fundamentally new activities but reshaped old patterns. This can also be said of China's Social Credit System. Control and monitoring functions have been performed by the Communist Party for decades. Even major companies like Google and Facebook were unable to enter the Chinese market due to the Golden Shield Project, as they did not meet the Communist Party's requirements. This system acts like a closed door to citizens of China, similar to how a café might offer a space for open discussion that the government aims to control.
Technologies have so ingrained themselves into our concept of life and pushed the boundaries of our societal existence that we cannot separate them from forms of life. It is not feasible to separate human and technological existence as we might separate water from oil, because humanity and technology have blended. For some, technology remains a tool, while for others, it becomes a form of life. The definition depends on the perspective. Technological development and innovation become the principal drivers of social, economic, or political change. By changing the shape of material things, we also change ourselves. It remains a debate where the boundary lies between technology as a form of life and as a tool. If technology transforms the way we do things, is it merely a tool?
Reference
1—3. Winner, L. (2004). Technology as Forms of Life. Oxford: Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield.
4—5. Chamary, J. (2019, March 27). A Biologist Explains: What Is Life? Forbes Media LLC. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2019/03/27/what-is-life/#2ec2893f1c77
6–7. Winner, L. (2004). Technology as Forms of Life. Oxford: Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield.