IT & War Questions (Group 9)

1.In general, describe the relationship between I.T. and war as it has existed throughout history and into the present: I never really thought of there being a big relationship between I.T. and war until this class actually, when we read the Vaneiver Bush article. The greater the technological advancements, the higher warfare technology we can employ on our enemies. I think it is a bit ridiculous that we are achieving so much technological greatness only to employ it for a one time use during a battle.

2. Consume the following material:

• Video: "The Military Invented the Internet: What Next?"
• Text: "War and Technology" 

Three Quotes:

1. "War is a driver for technology... everything from the Internet to jet engines to robotics are all things where military is a driver. This goes into question of human duality and human creativity."

2. "Maybe the question is that we can't get past our age old need to destroy each other. Is it machines that are wired for war or are we just inherently wired for war?"

3.  "But countless inventors and innovators, from Alfred Nobel to Robert Boyle, thought of weapons positively. They believed that they could banish the scourge of war, or at least restrain its excesses, if they could only invent the ultimate weapon, the instrument so horrible that no one would dare use it."

I assumed that weapons were only made in war for evil, and it was a negative thing to spend so much time, money and effort making our weapons more powerful. Now I realize, weapons can be made for good. They can be so powerful that nobody would dare use it, such as a nuclear bomb. We can't use that for fear of retaliation. I thought it was really interesting how closely related I.T. is with war, as seen in countless examples and circumstances. Humans are wired to create, but does that mean we are wired to destroy? I know it's the survival of the fittest with the human race, and being technologically smart makes you wartime smart as well. 

Readings from Week 4

Rheingold, H., 2000. Tools for Thought: the history and future of mind-expanding technology, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Chapters 4, 5, & 6
1.) Maybe it's just me and my inexperience and limited knowledge of computers, but if Johny von Neumann was as brilliant as this article claims, why is he not one of the most prominent names we learn of in the technology field? (Like we hear of Babbage or Turig) Even though he can't get exact credit neccesarily, I still feel he deserves to be mentioned.

2.) Von Neumann said " he regarded the computer as a technical device functioning as an extension of its user; it would lead to an aggrandizement of the human brain, and von Neumann wanted to push this aggrandizement as far and as fast as possible" do you think that his regard of the computer is true today? Is the computer merely an extension of the brain making us smarter or is it used as a substitute for thinking on our own and using everyday brainpower?

3.) Why is it that it is human nature to fall into a state of entropy? How can chaos, confusion, and things falling apart be a natural and easy instinct? I don't see much positivity in that.

Hacker, B.C., 1993. Engineering a New Order: Military Institutions, Technical Education, and the Rise of the Industrial State. Technology and Culture, 34(1).
1.) Without the invention of guns and gunpowder, what would wars be like today? Would the "art of war" be the same?

2.) I find it scary how much our society evolves based on military weapons... Is each country's dominance or advancements established by their military intel? I am sure that there are weapons and ballistics beyond even my wildest dreams that we have created.. Why does our society find it so important to stress military advancements over all other areas of life such as economics, politics or education?

3.) If "Innovations in 19th century military technology mostly came from nonmilitary sources" what are these sources the article is discussing?

O’Regan, G., Chapter 6 - The Internet Revolution. In A Brief History of Computing.
1.) I feel like everything we do in our society today comes from the internet. Whether it be networking, communicating, art, or research, the internet plays an insanely vital role in everyday life. Where would we be today without the internet? Has the internet substituted real face to face communication or real field research?

2.) Bush had a visionary information management system called "the memex," which he believed would be a memory extender. This goes back to my previous question above... Do we think the internet and use of technology has extended our memory and expanded our full potential or has it hindered it and took the place of real brainpower?

3.) This article is a bit confusing for someone who has absolutely NO computer/technology background and had to look up a lot of the terminology used. (ARPANET, NSFNET...what?!) For someone of my circumstances, is there an easier or more simple article so I can understand the basics of information technology before I take a huge leap into these unknown territories?

Readings from Week 1

Rheingold, H 2000. Tools for Thought: The History and Future of Mind-Expanding Technology, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Chapters 1 &2.

1) If the medium is the message, what will it mean when the entire environment becomes the medium?

2) Since technology is always changing and improving, how can anyone ever be tech-savvy? How can we ever keep up with such constant change?

3) I can't even fathom a society or life in general without computers...but should we be concerned at how dependent we are becoming on technology as we think less for ourselves and let the machines do the work? How far are we willing to let this technology advance until the technology is controlling us, instead of vice versa?

Bush, V., 1945. As We May Think. The Atlantic, (July).
1) As specialization extends and expands, is our own knowledge of these subjects decreasing?