Why the Future Doesn't Need Us by Bill Joy - Article Example

Why the future doesn't need us by Bill Joy Why the future doesn't need us written by Bill Joy is an article that has created much awe and controversy in the information technology world. Joy is a renowned person in the technological industry and in his writing he has mentioned the pessimistic and optimistic side of the modern technological world with its further progression in the 21st century. Bill explains in his book about the possible advantage and disadvantages of the invention of nanotechnology, genetic engineering and robotics (GNR).

There is a lot of threat to humanity form GNR technologies as these things have the potentiality to self replicate. With this kind of self-replicating characteristics, these technologies can get out of control of human beings and pose danger to the human population. The author is of the opinion that in order to save the human race and the world from catastrophe these kind outrageous technological inventions should be abandoned in the future. Bill states that the development in the nuclear world can create disastrous nuclear weapons which can allow the US and the Soviet Union to end the world.

This is a very pessimistic aspect of the current century where every other day a new technology crop up. He states that, if military-oriented technology like nuclear progress to endanger human being’s existence then stopping them becomes next to impossible. If machines are given a chance to make decisions then we cannot have control over them as their behavior can be varied and unexpected. We should not allow the machines to hold the fate of human beings who have unpredictable behavior.

The author here states the moral obligation which human have to protect human society by keeping restriction on the uncontrollable uprise of modern technology. Joy points out these things as being a computer scientist and a businessman and encourages human beings to take action against the possible consequences of future technology. Joy believes that the future inventions relating to GNR technologies can manipulate the creating and evolution power of nature and instead of prosperity the human generation can be doomed into darkness and destruction.

Technology like GNR technology if gotten in hands of terrorist can be misused and exploited for the destruction of humankind. In regard to genetic engineering, Joy is of the opinion there can arise a situation called “white plague” by which the terrorist or human beings can wipe out certain group of genes by genetic manipulation. It is highly possible that human could reengineer themselves with other species and create havoc in the world and it is a natural order of procreation. This can create inequality in the society and also can lead to disorder in the democratic order of the country.

By giving opportunity to computers and robots to think, the human are inviting a situation where human beings can get enslaved by superior machine and artificial intelligence. Bill Joy in his article encourages the society to practice responsibility on their action and control and restrict technology only to minimal. In the end, Joy concludes that human being should understand the uniqueness and precious position of human beings on this planet and use our abilities to build a prosperous world.