Epilogue

Abstract

In the preceding pages, we have introduced, explained, and discussed a large and growing number of ways in which digital technologies are affecting our world. The pace of change is accelerating. Although there are concerns that semiconductor performance and miniaturization will soon no longer obey Moore’s Law (discussed in the Prologue), new technologies such as quantum computers will likely extend the continual improvement of hardware performance. New software approaches such as deep learning have dramatically improved increasingly critical artificial intelligence (AI) computations. Concerns about employment prospects as well as the fascination of computer science have greatly enlarged the talent pool of individuals studying this field or related disciplines and adopting careers involving digital technologies. Corporations now understand the importance of computing, and of investing in research and development. Finally, the astronomical returns yielded by high-tech ‘start-ups’ such as Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon have led to enormous pools of investment capital seeking new digital technology innovations. As a result, there are now many social, legal and policy, and moral and ethical issues regarding digital technology and its presence in human society. We have discussed these topics in depth in the preceding pages. To review, we shall now highlight the most important issues. We shall classify the issues under either a social, policy/legal, or ethical/moral heading, yet all three categories are closely related. A social issue is a statement about quality of life, and what kind of world we want to live in. A policy or legal choice is a statement about the way we are governed, and about the rules we adopt as societies to shape the world as we intend. An ethical or moral dilemma is a question that societies, organizations, and individuals must answer and support with appropriate actions and laws to create a world that is fair, just, and good. There are no easy answers. The eminent professor and historian of technology Melvin Kranzberg described this in what he called Kranzberg’s First Law: ‘Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral.’