SCIENCE AND FICTION (Problématique)
INTRODUCTION
- Man- machine: a machine which includes human features or has a human aspect: humanlike robots and androids
-Machine-man: a human whose capacities have been enhanced thanks to electronic or mechanical elements : a bionic man
DEVELOPMENT
Part 1: man-machine:
1) human-like robots: I robot page 38, Three laws of Robotics page 152, Robot HRP-4C page 152
- Science fiction novels of films are full of humanlike robots: Asimov's novels, films such as Metropolis , Short-circuit, I robot
-Today's robotics scientists have designed sophisticated humanoid robots: HRP-4C
2) Intelligent machines: a) The intelligence revolutionpage 39 b) Man versus machine page 44 c) IBM's super computer page 45
- Intelligent machines have become science facts: intelligent cars for instance,
- Some machines can already challenge human intelligence: IBM's supercomputer
Part 2:machine- man: enhanced human beings: a) I,Cyborg page 38 - b) The bionic age page 39
Some men see their capacities enhanced thanks to science:
-Kevin Warwick calls himself a cyborg: he can control distant objects thanks to a chip implanted in his arm
-Professor Hugh Herr can walk and even climb again thanks to two artificial prostheses . He is said to be a bionic man
Part 3: Where are we heading?
a) To what extent is science fiction an indication of what is to come next?From fantasy to reality page 48
- Many fictional interventions have become science facts: for instance, surveillance networks, the idea of cloning, space travel ...
- We can expect inventions anticipated today to become tomorrow's science facts
b) Should we fear progress?O brave new world page 40 b) From Gattaca to Los Angelespage 42 Brave new world society page 152
- Some science fiction novels described today totalitarian or dehumanised future societies: 1984, Brave new world, Gattaca
-Some scientific advances are scary: for instance, are we heading towards a society in which babies are custom-made?
- Do scientists and laboratories always bear in mind ethical considerations?
c) Reasons to trust progress: a) I, Cyborg page 38 b) the bionic age page 39 c) Man versus machine page 44
- Science does mean progress : Kevin Warwick's experiments,, bio-mechatronics, home- robots, therapeutic cloning, artificial intelligence
CONCLUSION
IBM's t lead researcher : "I see human intelligence consuming machine intelligence, not the other way around" (Man versus machine page 45 line 75)