In the book, Technology's Promise, by Halal (2008), the author provides us with a perceived prelude to the near future. Any attempt at this type of work requires some knowledge, opinion, fortitude, and audacity to accomplish a task such as this. It is only possible to ponder the future with some argumentation such as this being put before us.
This being said, in respect to the efforts of the author, I am left with a some degree of skepticism as to how seriously I would believe much of the content of this book.
I was given a mission to analyze any given forecast presented in the end of this book. Well, I only found one forecast that the author felt deserved the merit of a specifically identified forecast. The only prominent "forecast" that I found presented in this book, as a defined section (page 142), was
"Forecast: An Age of Consciousness about 2020-3030 (An awful lot of time to get Conscious! Maybe, it could really take this long...) In fairness, the accompanying context indicates that this is probably a typographical error, and should really encompass 2020-2030. Other "forecasts" presented are on pg 148, and given the name of "Scenarios". But I wonder, are these really forecasts without serious commitment on the author's part? (get off the fence! It's OK to be wrong.)
The closing chapters speak to spiritual aspects. Is this really the most important idea that the author wants to develop? Up to this point, the author has talked about real technology, and has provided the main categories (pg 142) as:
Artificial Intelligence (AI),
Biogenetics,
Nanotech.
Suddenly, we are asked to consider Buddha Tech (pg 139), in the form of human consciousness. I somehow have this notion that "technology" is meant to augment human capability via external mechanical constructs, to include potentially human consciousness as well. So, how do we get from essential (intrinsic, but maybe dormant) human qualities and potentials, to the external "promise" of technology? As presented by the author, "We should regard [Buddhism] as a refined technology." (from Eric Lander of MIT) But should we? How does this really qualify as technology? The author throws this out to the readers with what appears to be the expectation that it will be accepted at face value. However, this assertion carries with it no evidence, warrant, or context for this assertion, just an appeal to authority.
This is not the only example of playing loose and fast with information that I have found in this book. A reference to an AI system in the Department of Energy that "can infer intent" (pg 51) of potential attackers is provided, but with no reference to back it up or follow through on research. If I were a movie critic (or book critic) given to a subjective school-like grading system, I would give this book a "C-" due to disappointment in presented areas that were of interest to me and my research.
Finally, the authors prediction about the coming age of consciousness provides an opinion that through global interconnectedness we can stop muddling through life with the time-tested tools of "ignorance, dogma, denial, and superstition" which has been favorites of humankind forever. Instead, we will embrace the "mysterious power" of "a higher state of mind", and somehow be better off in the end. Coming upheavals for the global social, moral, legal, ethical, and dare we say, the political? I think not.
Reference.
Halal, W.E. (2008). Technology's Promise: Expert Knowledge on the Transformation of Business and Society. Hampshire, Great Britain: Palgrave McMillan.
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