Musings

In looking at the inherent ethical neutrality of tech and how it relates to the machinations of man, the type of impact it can have on the world totally depends on who's running the system. On one end, computing points the way to finally understanding how photosynthesis actually works in order to build truly efficient solar collectors while on the other, the same computer transforms dollars into bits able to be rolled into Certificates of Debt Obligations or Derivative Swaps, abstract financial instruments whose sole intent is to generate something out of nothing, which, in large part, helped to plunge this country into depression.

Because technology advances at double exponential rates, the need to make the right choices in controlling this valuable resource for the benefit of society depends on the kind of morality we have as a species or, as Peter Parker's Uncle Ben so rightly says, With great power comes great responisibility.