Weighing The Good And The Bad Of Autonomous Killer Robots In Battle

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Transcript

Audio Time: 4 Min 49 Sec

Level: Upper Intermediate

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including  Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Provocative: causing discussion, thought, argument, etc.

Emerge: to become known or apparent.

Contentious: likely to cause people to argue or disagree.

Autonomous: existing or acting separately from other things or people; independent.

Ethical: involving questions of right and wrong behavior : relating to ethics.

Urgency: very important and needing immediate attention.

Ban: to forbid people from using (something) : to say that something cannot be used or done.

Threshold: a piece of wood, metal, or stone that forms the bottom of a door and that you walk over as you enter a room or building.

Obscure: not well-known : not known to most people.

Cylons and terminators: Fictional robots from modern science fiction movies.

Amok: in a wild or uncontrolled manner — used in the phrase run amok.

Science fiction: stories about how people and societies are affected by imaginary scientific developments in the future.

Promotional video: A video made or used to make people aware of something (such as a new product or book) and increase its sales or popularity.

Slam: to close (something) in a forceful way that makes a loud noise.

Torpedo: a bomb that is shaped like a tube and that is fired underwater.

Wiggle room: the ability to make small changes in a plan, schedule, etc., if they are needed.

Overlook: to fail to see or notice (something).

Frustration: a feeling of anger or annoyance caused by being unable to do something.

Err: to make a mistake.

Sniper: a person who shoots at another person from a hidden place.

To cloud: to confuse (a person's mind or judgment).

Inhumane: not kind or gentle to people or animals: not humane.

Discussion questions:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using autonomous robots in battle?

2.  What are some of the ethical issues with using robots in battle?

3.  What are some other roles in society that robots might take over?

4. How will robots change our society?

5. Should we try to continue to develop smarter robots (AI: artificial intelligence)?

Here are some additional resources about AI:

TED Talks Playlist on Artificial Intelligence

TED Talks Playlist on what Robots Teach Us about being Human

TED Talks Playlist on how to Live with Robots

School of Life: Artificial Intelligence

School of Life: Emotional Technology

Short Stories:

Answer

Answer-adapted for pre-intermediate level

The Nine Billion Names of God

The Nine Billion Names of God Adapted for Intermediate level

The Second variety: text , audio

The Defenders: text , audio, audio

Answer

By Fredric Brown

Level: Intermediate and up (Read the story adapted for pre-intermediate level here)

Listen to this story here

Note to reader: This story was written in the 1950s, when the first modern computers were just being developed and before the internet was invented. Therefore, the words “computer” and “internet” had not yet become common words for these devices. In this story “sub-ether” is like a super internet for the universe and “supercalculator” and “cybernetics machine” are what we would call a “computer”.

Dwar Ev ceremoniously soldered the final connection with gold. The eyes of a dozen television cameras watched him and the sub-ether bore through the universe a dozen pictures of what he was doing.

He straightened and nodded to Dwar Reyn, then moved to a position beside the switch that would complete the contact when he threw it. The switch that would connect, all at once, all of the monster computing machines of all the populated planets in the universe—ninety-six billion planets—into the supercircuit that would connect them all into one supercalculator, one cybernetics machine that would combine all the knowledge of all the galaxies.

Dwar Reyn spoke briefly to the watching and listening trillions. Then after a moment's silence he said, "Now, Dwar Ev."

Dwar Ev threw the switch. There was a mighty hum, the surge of power from ninety-six billion planets. Lights flashed and quieted along the miles-long panel.

Dwar Ev stepped back and drew a deep breath. "The honor of asking the first question is yours, Dwar Reyn."

"Thank you," said Dwar Reyn. "It shall be a question which no single cybernetics machine has been able to answer."

He turned to face the machine. "Is there a God?"

The mighty voice answered without hesitation, without the clicking of a single relay.

"Yes, now there is a God."

Sudden fear flashed on the face of Dwar Ev. He leaped to grab the switch.

A bolt of lightning from the cloudless sky struck him down and fused the switch shut.

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including  Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Ceremoniously: formal and serious: suitable for a ceremony.

To solder: a mixture of metals that is melted and used to join metal parts together.

Ether: the air: the sky: used especially when describing electronic signals that travel through the air or space.

Dozen: a group of 12 people or things.

To bore: to move forward steadily.

Universe: all of space and everything in it including stars, planets, galaxies, etc.

To nod: to move your head up and down as a way of answering “yes” or of showing agreement, understanding, or approval.

Switch: a small device that starts or stops the flow of electricity to something (such as a lamp or a machine) when it is pressed or moved up and down.

To throw a switch: to move a switch up or down in order to turn something on or off.

Circuit: the complete path that an electric current travels along.

Cybernetics: the scientific study of how people, animals, and machines control and communicate information.

Galaxy: any one of the very large groups of stars that make up the universe.

Mighty: having or showing great strength or power.

Surge: a sudden, large increase.

Hum: to make a low continuous sound.

Flash: to appear quickly or suddenly.

Panel: a flat surface where the controls of a vehicle, machine, etc., are located.

Hesitation: to stop briefly before you do something especially because you are nervous or unsure about what to do.

Click: to cause (something) to make a short, sharp sound.

Leap: to jump or to move quickly.

To grab: to quickly take and hold (someone or something) with your hand or arms.

To fuse: to join or become joined because of heat or a chemical reaction.

To shut: to become closed.

Discussion Questions:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of computers becoming more intelligent?
2. Will machines ever become more intelligent than humans?
3. Do you think a computer could ever become almost like a ‘god’: almost all knowing and all powerful?
4. If a computer could be created like the one in the story, what do you think it would do and how would it act?
5. What question would you ask the supercomputer in this story?