
Human robots?
In modern distribution centres, the work of real humans is
already guided by robots who give detailed instructions to them to go to a
certain row and aisle and lift such and such an item off a certain shelf, etc
etc. Are the people doing those jobs
still working as humans or is their work so robotic that it would be better if
they weren’t involved? And is there more dignified work they could or should be
doing? Where will the jobs of the future
be?
Driverless (and shared?) cars
As a member of a House of Lords Select Committee, the Bishop
of Oxford realised recently that his young grandchildren may never have the
experience that we do of car ownership or even a driving test. How do we feel about that, with our habitual
British interest in individualism and staying in control? The Bishop's 8 challenging 'Key Issues' to be faced by all of us can be read here.
From technology to ethics to politics
Matthew Taylor of the RSA and author of the Taylor Review on modern working and employment practices commented in an economics discussion in Bristol last week that it is high time this subject was politicised. We cannot just sit back and leave it to 'technological' forces - which in effect means free market forces. We must ensure that technology develops the way we want it to and the political choices will require us to know the facts as well as face them.
On Sunday, December 10th, at Wychwood Library, we
will watch a video of an erudite and engagingly delivered talk by the author of
the medical journal article referred to above, Professor John Wyatt of the Faraday Institute
for Science and Religion at Cambridge University. Ian Cave has kindly agreed to
facilitate the viewing and the ensuing discussion which is likely to be
fascinating and far-reaching - and of ever-increasing relevance to all our lives.
Do join us at 7pm (ends 9pm).
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