• Question: @all do you think we could enhance our intelligence with technology and how do you think this will effect society?

    Asked by anon-183907 to Tom, sarahhodge, Owen, Nathan, Lorna, Abbie on 5 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: Nathan Hook

      Nathan Hook answered on 5 Nov 2018:

      In some respects this happens already – people who eat a varied healthy diet (food is a technology), or who are able to access information using IT easily act in more intelligent ways. We can look at how that affects society already. Intelligence becomes another form of ‘capital,’ like money and social status are forms of capital.

    • Photo: Abbie Jordan

      Abbie Jordan answered on 5 Nov 2018:

      I absolutely agree with Nathan. We are doing this. Even at a basic level, our Netflix recommendations are based on IT and algorithms as are the offers that supermarkets provide based on what we have bought. Small things but they are there already.

      Health wise, people (not me!) at the Uni of Bath are using technology to develop bandages that change colour when infection is detected. That’s seriously smart. See here for a link about this – http://www.bath.ac.uk/research/news/2016/11/28/clinical-trial-of-infection-detecting-bandages-begins/ I think that’s a great example of how we can use techncology to make a positive impact on society.

    • Photo: Sarah Hodge

      Sarah Hodge answered on 6 Nov 2018:

      Interesting question, there is still much debate to what intelligence actually is, with many theories highlighting different components of intelligence (e.g. some theories include motor skills). I think that technology will add to what we think is intelligent; potenitally our intellgience may be measured against how well we use technology and the jobs that require those skills.

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