In my book World After Capital, I open with a section on the duality of technology: since the days of inventing fire we can use technology for good and for bad. The technology itself simply broadens the space of what’s possible. We have to choose how we want to use it.
Interfacing human brains to computers is another great example of this duality. Earlier this week Elon Musk launched Neuralink, a new company for brain interfaces to add to Kernel, which Bryan Johnson funded with $100 million last year.
We could use brain interfaces for amazing good, such as helping people who are locked in to communicate with the world. And we could use it to do terrible things, such as control people to act like robots.
If you want a good read that dramatizes this duality of brain interfaces, I recommend Ramez Naam’s series of books, Nexus, Crux and Apex. I am currently on the third book in the series, which I am hoping to finish on my flight back to the US.
Does Duality mean we should not innovate? Absolutely not. But it does mean that we need to firmly establish values to guid how we put technology to use. That’s why I have a whole section on Humanism in my book also.
