So let's talk about the limitations of language and interpolate with it the problems that will arise in any technological solution that can be proposed in the future. Computers are also programmed using ‘languages’. In short, it is, where other technologies aim to be. Many scientists like Lera Boroditsky also believe that language can change the way we think. It is also capable of creating or evoking deep emotions in us. And like all other technology, its carry certain objective (that of encoding thoughts) and is plagued with serious limitations (language anomalies). The technology of language is so prevalent in our society that we often fail to recognise its presence. Secondly, it is mercurial in its usage yet stable in its form, it is highly adaptive, available and almost invisible to all its user. Why? Firstly, because it has been used through ages. And it’s the best example of technology that is available to mankind. I am using the word ‘language’ as an example for technology here as we all are familiar with it and use it almost all the time. Because of the simplicity of this 'language’ and fewer number of permutations, the interaction (or the semantics) between the car and its driver is not as rich or nuanced as say our interaction with a computer. (excluding the ‘noise’ in these systems). And while the syntax of spoken language contains utterances called phonemes, which serves as its building blocks, the syntax of driving a car contains fewer analog interaction blocks like steering the wheel, shifting the gear, pressing brakes, etc. This is the case with any other technology like learning to type or drive. Learning and understanding a new language and attaining dexterity in it takes certain amount of time and practice, before we become fluent in it. At least not with the sophistication we live by. By natural I mean language is not something we are born with (although there are researchers that would argue that it shapes our physiology and hence might get genetically propagated). If you think carefully, there is nothing 'natural' about the way we communicate. These changes prompt us to question technology’s impact in our lives, devise a better definition of the self, what it constitutes. However, in the last two decades, the world has seen an unprecedented change in the way we use and understand technology. Used to define a system that thinks and works on its own, its extent of control were up till now quite decipherable by the human mind. are some words which we encounter on a daily basis. It has been a part of our vocabulary: automatic, autocorrect, automobile, autonomy, autopilot, etc. Having its origins in the Greek word autos which means self or by oneself, the word now serves as an adjective to describe anything that is self 'driven'. The birth of the idea of machine intelligence, which is so visible now, dates back to the first usage of the prefix 'auto-'. Now, they attempt to complement our notions of human intelligence. Why? Because for so long machines were complimenting the areas of human strength and physical labour. It has and will further, not only shake the socio-economic framework of our society, but also challenge us on a moral and ethical level. These technologies represent forces very similar to those during the Industrial Revolution only that now they will be much more impactful, fast and widespread. The availability, accessibility and affordance of smart devices, autonomous systems and cyber-assistants has led us to reconsider the penetration of technology we want in our surroundings. The progress curve of technological advancements in the world is about to hit a new tangent.
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