The number of areas where new technological solutions is increasing vary much and very fast. Our knowledge in the quantum world give us evidence of thoughts brought forward in theories decades earlier. During the experiments in the quantum world we also discover new things or new phenomena. All this will give us benefits soner or later in the long run. Deepening our knowledge in this area will show us how little we actually understand right now. There will come new surprises along the way.
The same evolution is to be seen in the area Artificial Intelligence. Systems that provide us with a lot of benefits in almost any area. If not now, for sure in a near future. The development in this area moves very fast and the systems learns to handle more and more complex areas. Some of the companies driving the development are the same ones sitting on the vast amount of data concerning us as individuals. A thing to keep in mind and put some energy to increase our awareness about. There is no question about that the evolution will be beneficial, but we need to keep in mind that every coin has two sides.
Artificial Intelligence also moves into the area of mathematics, improving, testing or validating complex theorems. Most likely it also will take part in the development of new mathematical problems and challenges.
The development, or improvement of our knowledge around mathematics is moving forward even without Artificial Intelligence. The question ”Did Humans Invent Mathematics, or Is It a Fundamental Part of Existence?, has been around for a long time. The most common angle is that it is invented by humans. An old view originating from the old Pythagorean school of thought held a different view. Its proponents believed reality is fundamentally mathematical. Maybe they where right. The examples from nature give us evidence that fundamental mathematical structures are evident in many places. Maybe mathematics is a way for nature to give us a method to grasp all objects surrounding us. Only time will tell.
What has this to to with technology then? All of it contributes to technological development, even if they have impact in very different timescales. There are a vast number of technologies that are beneficial for us humans, and there are technologies emerging that will be beneficial for all of us inhabiting this planet. The speed, and there really is a need for speed , in the latter area is dependent of the conscious decisions we as individuals and collective make. If we demand some technology that is beneficial for more than us humans they will be invented. Things that has short
term benefits, but long term unfavorable impact will eventually wind up themselves.h
There is no question about the impact from technological development onto our lives and societies. We always come up with new ideas of how to improve things we struggle with in our daily life, regardless if is now, or it was 800 years ago. The drive for improvements seem to be part of us humans. We take larger steps when take on tasks that looks impossible. We gather all kinds of competence to develop new solutions, or to find out that an old solution has to step aside for new knowledge. One thing that we might take little to easy on is the long term consequences of our new technology. The same goes for what kind of benefit does it give, and to whom.
A key element is to increase our awareness of how things we invent impacts our surroundings and to our planet. If we put in more effort and make conscious long term lasting decisions things might be different from what we experience today. We can do good and at the same time enjoy the benefits from our technological development.
Be Conscious
Ulf