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Ethics of Cybernetics

Ethics of Cybernetics. Cybernetics: What it is, and how it will impact our lives. Cybernetics:. Defined as: “The study of the interaction between man, machine, and animals” 1. 1: Norbert Wiener. How is it being used?.

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Ethics of Cybernetics

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  1. Ethics of Cybernetics Cybernetics: What it is, and how it will impact our lives.

  2. Cybernetics: • Defined as: “The study of the interaction between man, machine, and animals”1 1: Norbert Wiener

  3. How is it being used? • Latest biomedical research is using Cybernetics to create “superhumans” which will transform the way we practice medicine, transmit thoughts, and communicate with one another

  4. Kevin Warwick • Who is this guy? • A cybernetic pioneer at the Reading University in the UK.

  5. Kevin Warwick: • What’s so important about him? • Research entails creating software to read the signals from a nervous system and to record and condition that data for retransmission

  6. Superhumans • If Kevin’s research is successful, we will begin to approach the reality of “superhumans” • What are superhumans? • Superhumans = men and women who have machines implanted internally to help them surpass the physical boundaries of normal human function including thought process, emotional and physical capabilities.

  7. Kevin’s research: • What it consists of: • Currently: reconstruct and study traditional electrical impulses • Eventually: understand how to manipulate sense impulses • In the future: create new senses through impulse manipulation

  8. Kevin’s Research: • What he’s doing in the UK: • His next experiment involves him placing a small glass case containing a power supply, a mini-printed circuit board to receive and transmit signals in his left arm’s nerve fibers • These chips will receive signals from the collar and send them to a computer instantaneously

  9. Experiment Example: • When Kevin moves a finger: • Electronic signals travel from his brain to activate the muscles and tendons that operate his hand. • The collar picks up the signal en route • Nerve impulses will still reach the finger but he will tap into them as though he was listening on a phone line

  10. Why is this significant? • More routes for more senses could be found • Alternative pathways for blind or deaf people to “see” or “hear” with ultrasonic wavelengths • Example: A blind person could use this technology to navigate around objects with ultrasonic radar, much the way bats do

  11. Ever worked before? • NO. • But then again, nobody’s ever tapped into their nerve fibers before.

  12. What has been done? • Emory University: • Implanted a transmitting device into the brain of a stroke patient • Linked motor neurons to silicon • Afterwards, patient was able to move a cursor on a computer screen just by thinking about it.

  13. What has been done? • Caltech’s Steve Potter: • Has a living layer of rat neurons growing over a microelectrode array. Neural activity is sent to an SGI workstation which renders the data. (Acts as the body) • Trying to organize data to make sense of it. • By end of year recognize speech. • Brain can command artificial limbs

  14. It’s only a matter of time • The reality of “smart” machines to aid humans in various functions is imminent. • Implementation: • Requisite programs must be set up. Like keyboards are today. • Basic programming shouldn’t be too hard • Implant owner will have to learn how to operate his new little friend.

  15. Ethical Issues? • Many issues arise: • Is it ethical to create a “superhuman” where machines are in charge of key human functions such as thought control and communication? • Is it ethical to allow some humans, probably the wealthy ones, to communicate through cybernetics and not others?

  16. Ethical Issues: • How safe must the implants be for them to be distributed? • Senses and impulses could be transmitted in a harmful way • What kind of security should accompany the implants • An entirely new “private” realm - one’s emotions.

  17. Ethical Issues: • New senses • Can these senses be patented? • What if they’re addictive - who regulates?

  18. Is It All Bad? • Warm fuzzy outcomes: • ALS - Lou Gehrig’s disease - could possibly be cured once we understand how to retransmit nerve impulses. • We can create a new way, although artificial, to make people feel happy

  19. The Future…. • If developed, most likely will be used. • We can only wait and see...

  20. Thank You. - Michael Lewis

  21. Bibliography • Wired Magazine, February 2000 issues • Cybernetic Intelligence Research Group - http://www.cyber.rdg.ac.uk/CIRG/research/research.htm • Wired online: http://www.wired.com • Biomedical Research at Emory • http://www.bme.gatech.edu/news.html

  22. Bibliography • Program in Ethics in Science and Medicine - http://www.swmed.edu/home_pages/ethics/ • Department of Cybernetics at Reading - http://www2.cyber.rdg.ac.uk/Cybernetics/

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