Premium Essay

2001: A Space Odyssey: An Analysis

Submitted By
Words 397
Pages 2
However, we’re on the verge of creating super-intelligence, which unlike the AI in the previous examples wouldn’t be user dependent, making the machine par or maybe even superior to humans. There are many risks to that. Bostorm, the director of the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University, Predicted a machine programmed to make as many paper clips as possible, he called “the paper-clip maximizer”. He envisions that if this machine ever became incredibly intelligent, it would then decide to create new, more efficient paper-clip-manufacturing machines—until it had converted essentially everything into paper clips! (Bostorm, 2004) A risk described by critics as an exaggerating scenario and is “perhaps impossible”. (Anderson and Leigh, …show more content…
(Capek 1921) and the HAL 9000 computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey (Clarke 1968) to modern day films like The terminator and The Matrix. On one hand you have works of the fiction depicting the human fear of a robot uprising, which could be ignored as just a natural fear of change. On the other you have world renowned scientists warning us of the ominous dangers of a scientific creation that might end the human race without the proper precautions to prevent it. In January 2015 Physicist Steven Hawking, CEO of tesla Elon musk, Steve Wozniak and Peter Norvig Google's Deep Minds director of research, among other scientist and pioneers in the field of artificial intelligence, signed and open letter titled “Research Priorities for Robust and Beneficial Artificial Intelligence: an Open Letter”. In this letter, they call for prioritizing ethical programing research and safety precautions over the development of human like intelligence (Andrew griffin, 2014). Evidentially the potential risk of super-intelligence outweighs the likely advantages, Hence the urgent need for the development of an ethical

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Analysis of 2001: a Space Odyssey

...2001: A Space Odyssey Analysis The purpose of this report is threefold. I will begin by briefly discussing my interpretation of the film, 2001: a Space Odyssey, with a particular focus on the piece of alien technology, the black monolith. I will then discuss the plausibility of the Jupiter landing/living scenes, including the accuracy of how it was portrayed and whether living on Jupiter for a sustained period of time is realistic. Finally, I will wrap up by delving deeper into the black monolith. I will discuss the plausibility of the technology and the initial reaction to the technology from life on Earth. The ending of this film is entirely open to interpretation, ranging from an explanation for Darwinian evolution to strictly religious thoughts of God or gods. Personally, I saw the black monolith as some sort of super-advanced alien technology that served multiple purposes. The first purpose, which was seen in the “Dawn of Man” section of the movie, was to assist in the advancement of an intelligent race. The monolith first appeared to the primates, before some of the early Homo species had arose. Shortly after contact with the monolith, one group of primates began to use a bone as a weapon. With the newly found weapons, one group was able to defend the water hole from another group. This suggests that the monolith had somehow inspired, whether through some sort of telepathic thought transmission or simply through touching it, the apes to begin using tools. The monolith...

Words: 1633 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

2001 A Space Odyssey Analysis

...eerie red dot for an eye of HAL 9000, the smartest computer ever created, looks out across the pod bay of Discovery One. Through the silence, Dave Bowman’s voice bursts through succinctly: “Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL.” We realize that his voice comes from inside the command pod, waiting out in the vacuum of space outside Discovery One. When no reply comes, he repeats his command, but again hears silence. “Hello HAL, do you read me?” Still no reply. He doesn’t have his helmet, and if he can’t enter the spaceship, he’ll be stranded in space. He’s screwed. Frantically switching to different voice channels, he repeats over and over, “HAL, do you read me? Hello HAL? HAL? Do you read me?” “Affirmative, Dave.” I don’t understand this movie. I don’t think anyone does. Director Stanley Kubrick and writer Arthur C. Clarke don’t. In fact, there is no one right or wrong answer to the questions posed in the film. Near the end of the film, it is seen in its most powerful as the visual aspects of 2001: A Space Odyssey quietly urge the...

Words: 672 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

2001 Space Odyssey Genre Analysis

...Genre is defined as “a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like”, while film genres are defined as “various classifications of films.” When it comes to naming the Science Fiction genre, the technical definition is the exploration of human evolution on a technological or cosmic scale. The genre utilizes a setting placed in the future or outer space, and typically involves aliens, the applications of technological advances, or even alternate timelines. Sci-fi (science fiction) In the terms of 2001: A Space Odyssey, it was a film that, created by Stanley Kubrick, was able to both set the tone for sci-fi films and redefine them by restating what the genre was about and what it could do as a standalone narrative device....

Words: 446 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Essay Outline: 2001 A Space Odyssey

...Title: 2001 A Space Odyssey film analysis Introduction: Begins a dawn in prehistoric Africa, about four million years ago a powerful force entered near Jupiter. The force later on somehow ended up in the prehistoric area. The monolith, was the force that was deliberately planted by an extraterrestrial but why? Body: I. What was learned about the movie before starting my complete analysis 1. Begins a dawn in prehistoric Africa 2. The dawn of man 3. Jupiter’s mission 4. Beyond the infinite II. My own personal analysis in regards to the list of questions from handout (1-14) 1. How and why is the film described as a work of art? 2. What colors are present and what are the color schemes? 3. What mood is set? 4. What is the possible symbolism?...

Words: 2126 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Livoria Sandwiches

...Livoria sandwiches to attain $1.1 million in Net Income by 2014. This report includes a current situational analysis (Appendix 2 – Present Menu and Appendix 3 – Pro Forma Income Statement), analysis of strategic alternatives, a recommendation and a conclusion. Situational Analysis (see Appendix 1 for supporting SWOT Analysis) Since commencing operations in January 2001, Livoria Sandwiches has been offering an assortment of quality custom-made sandwiches in Dawkins. With a family-oriented atmosphere and a customer focused mission/vision statement the company distinguishes itself in making quality sandwiches by focusing on high-quality ingredients, freshness and quick sandwich-making process. In 2011, Livoria achieved 53% contribution margin and a 5.4% sales growth surpassing the industry average. By 2014, Livoria plans to reach $1.1 million in Net Income. However, due to space limitations and labour constraints (Appendix 5), the company has to make a decision based on two strategic alternatives to reach this goal: • Franchising Livoria Sandwiches • Enhancing the menu by adding a line of vegetarian sandwiches and dropping the lowest contributing menu items Key Success Factors (KFS) • Excellent location • High quality Sandwiches • Pricing • Customer loyalty • Reputation Competitors: (Benchmark Analysis – Appendix 2) • Lower market share (2.26%) compared to Souvlaki...

Words: 1355 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Of 'Is Google Making USupid?'

...The Collapse of the Human Mind: A Rhetorical Analysis of “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Are we exchanging our intellect for easier methods of learning? In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” by Nicholas Carr, the issue of computers mediating our understanding of the world is discussed. Carr employs the rhetorical appeals of logos and pathos to build his argument that the internet is changing the way we think for the worse by limiting our intellectual capabilities. Through his effective use of logical claims and warnings of technical dependency, Carr has a strong argument that will convince his intended audience of liberals to support his compelling claim. Using an excerpt from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Carr makes a connection...

Words: 414 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

2001 Space Odessy

...man-ape who walked fully upright. At night, a few select man-apes were taught and during the day, they innovated. Moon-Watcher discovered that he could fashion tools with which to kill animals for sustenance—the man-apes' hunger problem was solved. Time passed and the man-ape evolved. His brain grew, he invented language and organized into civilizations, and he invented weapons—first knives, but then guns and finally nuclear missiles. Such innovations had been central in man's dominion over earth, but "as long as they existed, he was living on borrowed time." Eager to embark on another space mission, Dr. Heywood Floyd arrived at the Florida launch location after meeting with the president. He offered no comment to the press, nor would he reveal the details of mission to the crew that served him so faithfully on board or to his Russian friend whom he encounters at the joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. space station, a stop on his journey to the Moon. Upon his arrival, Floyd is greeted by a top official of the Moon colony and whisked off to a meeting. A lead scientist explains that they had found a magnetic disturbance in Tycho, one of the Moon's craters. An examination of the area had revealed a large black slab, called Tycho Magnetic Anomaly-One (TMA-1). It was precisely fashioned and, at three million years of age, predates humans. It is the first definitive proof of the existence of extra-terrestrial, intelligent life. Floyd and a team of scientists drive across the moon to actually view...

Words: 10692 - Pages: 43

Premium Essay

The Red Planet: The Journey To Mars

...However this journey requires technology specifically designed to adjust to the alternate atmosphere on Mars. Once humans have landed, precautions must be ensured to minimize the impact of humans. But through this mission, scientists and astronauts can offer greater discoveries to humankind, more than what any robot can observe on Mars. Despite these great expectations, there are even greater consequences of space exploration. The journey to Mars will require extraordinary technology. NASA has predicted that the trip will last approximately six to eight months each way depending on the orbits of Earth and Mars....

Words: 1804 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Callaway Golf

...Report for The Callaway Golf Company Innovation through Collaboration Scott Damassa Amy MacKinnon Alisher Saydalikhodjayev April 14, 2007 Harkness Consulting Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................... 3 Company Background ................................................ 5 Competitive Analysis.................................................. 7 Internal Rivalry ................................................................ 8 Entry .............................................................................. 12 Substitutes & Complements ........................................... 13 Buyer & Supplier Power ................................................. 14 SWOT Analysis ..........................................................15 Strengths ....................................................................... 15 Weaknesses ................................................................... 15 Opportunities ................................................................. 16 Threats........................................................................... 16 Financial Analysis .....................................................16 Strategic Issues & Recommendations .......................21 References…………………………………………………………25 Harkness Consulting 2 Executive Summary Harkness Consulting has been asked by Callaway Golf to assess its strategic market position and to make recommendations for improving the...

Words: 7472 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Mobile Database

...Issues and Research Directions * Action members 1 EPFL, 2U. Grenoble, 3INRIA-Nancy, 4INT-Evry, 5U. Montpellier 2, 6U. Paris 6, 7U. Versailles Abstract This paper reports on the main results of a specific action on mobile databases conducted by CNRS in France from October 2001 to December 2002. The objective was to review the state of progress in mobile databases and identify major research directions for the French database community. This paper gives an outline of the directions in which the action participants are now engaged, namely: copy synchronization in disconnected computing, mobile transactions, database embedded in ultra-light devices, data confidentiality, P2P dissemination models and middleware adaptability. 1 ** Introduction At the end of 2001, the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in France launched a number of specific actions (AS) in order to identify the most challenging issues to be investigated by the French research community (http://www.cnrs.fr/STIC/actions/as/as.htm). The impact of ubiquitous and pervasive computing in many aspects of our everyday life motivated the CNRS to fund a specific action on mobile databases, in October 2001 for an initial period of one year. This paper reports on the main results of this action. Different classes of mobile applications can be distinguished depending on the data management requirements they introduce. The most common applications today are Mobile Client – Fixed...

Words: 4932 - Pages: 20

Free Essay

Badchodi

...Conference - September Dr. Todd M. Johnson Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Hamilton, MA From September 22-24, 2005, the School of Leadership Studies hosted Dr. Todd Johnson on campus at Regent University, for the third annual futures conference for Christian leaders. This essay by Johnson was circulated to participants beforehand. We encourage you to join us next year for our annual Foresight conference, as we hear from top futurists from the both the U.S. and around the world. Todd M. Johnson, Ph.D., is the director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. He is the co-author of World Christian Encyclopedia (WCE), Second Edition, released in 2001 by Oxford University Press. Since 1989, Dr. Johnson has been a full-time researcher on the empirical status of global Christianity, most recently as director of the World Evangelization Research Center (WERC) in Richmond, Virginia. He has also served with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) since 1978 and has performed various ministry tasks in over 30 countries, including relief work among Cambodian refugees in Thailand, inner city work in San Francisco, evangelism in villages in Guatemala and field-based research in Asia. He is co-founder of the Christian Futures Network, a professional member of the World Future Society and a member of the American Academy of Religion (AAR). He is a contributor to the Encyclopedia Britannica Book of the...

Words: 3012 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

History

...The Social Studies (2011) 102, 175–179 Copyright C Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 0037-7996 print / 2152-405X online DOI: 10.1080/00377996.2011.585551 9/11 in the Curriculum: A Retrospective DIANA HESS1 and JEREMY STODDARD2 1 2 Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA School of Education, The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA This article uses a curricular analysis study to examine how the events of 9/11 and their aftermath are presented to secondary students in supplemental curriculum and social studies textbooks published from 2002–2010. Shortly after 9/11, many political leaders and social studies educators advocated teaching about 9/11 and its aftermath because these events provided a unique “teachable moment,” even though there was often bitter disagreement about what ideological messages related to 9/11 should be promoted in the schools. Within one year, many non-profit organizations and even the United States Department of State developed materials on 9/11 that were disseminated to secondary schools. As the first editions of post-9/11 textbooks came out, it was also evident that content about 9/11 and what happened in its wake would be given special attention. To investigate what was being communicated to young people about 9/11 and its aftermath to students, we analyzed nine curricula from the non-profits and the government in the first few years after 9/11, a sample of nine of history and government...

Words: 4659 - Pages: 19

Free Essay

Failure Analyis/Change Strateg

...Failure Analysis/Change Strategy Learning Team A LDR/531 Organizational Leadership October 21, 2014 Dr. Nancy Atkins Failure and Change Strategy for a Business Circuit City was one of the top selling electronic retailers in the United States. The company was based out of Richmond, Virginia started by Samuel S. Wurtzel in 1949. Some say bad real estate deals, lack of focus on being the low cost seller, mistakes with its sales force and straying from its core led to their demise in 2009. The success of Amazon has much to do with Jeff Bezos, the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). His unique combination of character traits and business strategy has driven Amazon to the top of the online retail world. In 2011, Amazon.com was posting revenues of nearly $50 billion per year (Price III, 2013). Part 1: Business Failure/Success Analysis Circuit City Objective (Carolyn Whitaker) Circuit City is dedicated to the highest quality of customer service which is done with the highest respect. With a highly praised customer service and satisfaction, it will improve our sales performance. For Circuit City to effectively sell products to customers, sales representatives will try to understand and fulfil the customers’ needs. With a highly trained team of associates, Circuit City will be successful in the long run. Circuit City Vision/Mission Statement (Carolyn Whitaker) Respect - “Our Associates are our greatest assets. We expect every Associate to demonstrate that they...

Words: 2215 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Business Intelligence Applications

...Business Intelligence Applications Paul Villela CSCI 4304:Database Systems Dr. Carolyn W. Green 2 December 2014 Business Intelligence Applications On the May 4th, 2014 episode of Mad Men (appropriately entitled “The Monolith”, a clever nod to the iconic black monolith which provides the impetus for the evolutionary leap from beast to man in Arthur C Clarke’s novel “2001: A Space Odyssey”) Sterling Cooper & Partners, the fictional ad agency around which the show revolves, purchases and installs a brand new IBM 360 computer. While the vast majority of the office greets the massive, expensive machine with much apprehension (“What man lay on his back counting stars and thought about a number?” asks Don Draper, head of the Creative Department (played by John Hamm)) (Stevenson, 2014), Senior Partner and visionary Jim Cutler (played by Harry Hamlin) understands the power and potential of just such a machine, particularly in the field of advertising. Sterling Cooper & Partners gain an edge that their competition would not have for several more years, as well as a service they can offer their customers, one many of whom would not provide for themselves for even longer. What Jim Cutler was envisioning was a strategic idea currently referred to as Business Intelligence. A Brief History of Business Intelligence The concept of Business Intelligence (BI) began as a direct descendent of an information system called the Decision Support System (DSS), a system used for complex...

Words: 2993 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Game

...The Video Game Industry An Industry Analysis, from a VC Perspective Nik Shah T’05 MBA Fellows Project March 11, 2005 Hanover, NH The Video Game Industry An Industry Analysis, from a VC Perspective Authors: Nik Shah Nik.Shah@Dartmouth.edu Tuck Class of 2005 Charles Haigh Charles.Haigh@Dartmouth.edu Tuck Class of 2005 • The video game industry is poised for significant growth, but many sectors have already matured. Video games are a large and growing market. However, within it, there are only selected portions that contain venture capital investment opportunities. Our analysis highlights these sectors, which are interesting for reasons including significant technological change, high growth rates, new product development and lack of a clear market leader. The opportunity lies in non-core products and services. We believe that the core hardware and game software markets are fairly mature and require intensive capital investment and strong technology knowledge for success. The best markets for investment are those that provide valuable new products and services to game developers, publishers and gamers themselves. These are the areas that will build out the industry as it undergoes significant growth. • A Quick Snapshot of Our Identified Areas of Interest • Online Games and Platforms. Few online games have historically been venture funded and most are subject to the same “hit or miss” market adoption as console games, but as this segment grows, an opportunity...

Words: 15586 - Pages: 63