Subject: technology's role
From: Muhammad Khalifa Betz (mbetz@mcafeemail.com)
Date: Sat 06 May 2000 - 02:17:13 MEST
From: "Muhammad Khalifa Betz" <mbetz@mcafeemail.com> Subject: technology's role Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 17:17:13 -0700
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Tom Abeles wrote:
<<
We are not far from a direct human computer interface- hard wire and not
just keyboard and optical coupling. Speculative fiction or extrapolist
science? Given this type of onboard intelligence, what does this mean for
education and its current approach?
Kudos to Leslie for moderating this discussion.
Regarding Mr. Abeles statement above I would like to add the following observation. I personally have not seen technology interfacing directly with humans except to assist disabled or disadvantaged people. One example is Steven Hawking, who is aided by technology to continue his work and to communicate with the world. I have also seen many similar instances in my work with the Council for Exceptional Children where assistive technology is a means for allowing disadvantaged people regain some of their lost capabilities.
This brings me to a hypothesis: technology cannot supersede human capability as described by pioneers like TA. If we are talking number crunching or rapid production of works of dexterity, humans can benefit. However, technology, as we now see it, can only compensate for delimited human powers. I don't predict technology implants that will allow humans to become superhuman. If the bionic heart has fallen so short of its fleshy counterpart, why would an "on-board" processor be an improvement over unaided human physiology?
Regards,
Muhammad Betz
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