ABSTRACT
I want to examine our collective future by asking questions about our intention with respect to technology. This argument is set against a background of current human-machine systems and particularly the rise of automatic systems. I do this because of my belief that technology cannot and should never be considered in the absence of human intention. Likewise, contemporary societal aims have no meaning without reference to the pervasive technology that powers them. I start off the discussion with a prelude that presents a metaphor to frame the initial considerations. I then define the terms within which the chapter's arguments are framed. This definition of terms leads to an examination of what technology is and to what extent technology is “natural.” I then examine human-machine symbiosis and potential futures that may be encountered by such a coevolutionary pairing. I will point to human-centered automation as one stage in this sequence of evolution that will eventually witness the birth of autonomous machine intention about which I express a number of cautions. In noting the stage-setting function of contemporary systems design, I cite earlier warnings concerning previously held principles of human-machine interaction. My hypothesis is that the collective potential future for humans and machines can only be assured by the explicit enactment of mutually beneficial goals. In the immediate future, I caution against the possibility of a society divided by technology against itself. I advocate for a science of human-machine systems as a liberating force in providing technical emancipation, the heart of which is universal education.
