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WIZARDRY
(Continued f rom page 12)
will allow, for example, compu ter
information to be synchroni zed
with the doctor's brain waves and
put computer in formation into his
or her mind whenever spare mental
capacity is avai lable. " Don' t imag–
ine that this evolut ion can be out–
lawed . The first brain surgeon able
to engage a tigh t instantaneous link
with his medical library and other
surgeons
wh i/e he is operating
wi ll
lead the way for all other surgeons
to follow" (ibid.).
That's what the new technology
is leading men of science to ant ici–
pate- but the computer ca nnot
prevent the need of the surgeon to
operate si nce computers cannot
force people to s tay healthy!
New Entertainment Craze
In the area of entertainment, com–
puter dr iven games a re already
being programmed to provide ever
more scin ti llati ng- and tempo–
rary- he ights o f realism · an d
excitement. Whereas television is
largely passive entertainment, new
computer enter tainment allows a
person to interact with and affect
the outcome of programmed sto–
ries-such as a moon- landing, or a
famous war bat tle, or a love scene.
For many people such entertain–
ment is becoming a major hobby
and a consuming passion.
One can already purchase pro–
grammed novels where after the pro–
gram presents the majar par t of the
novel, you join in, talking by com–
puter with the other characters.
Your responses and answers deter–
mine how characters in the novel
react and how the novel ends. Imag–
ine the involvement of those who
would immerse themselves in the
plot and outcome of famous movies
like
King Kong,
or in a detective
mystery with Sherlock Holmes. Or
in sorne grossly perverted use, such
as a lur id sex scene where viewers
experiment with all kinds of possible
outcomes. (Don 't think the latter
won't happen. Pornographic tapes
already consti t ute a big share of the
present videotape market!)
No Computer Mlllennlum!
Now consider the social d isloca–
March 1982
t ions produced by the Computer
Revolution-especially in jobs. On
this matter, science has no sure
answers. On one hand, new tech–
nology produced by compute rs
cou ld create an enormous variety of
new products and jobs. But the
catch is the job openings would
only be available to those willing to
make rapid changes in employment
and learning . S uc h a t ransforma–
tion carries the seeds of economic
dislocation and social unrest for
those who won't or can't adapt.
" For those who are informed
[abou t compu ters) employment
oppo r t un ities will be prod iga),
whi le those who remain ignorant,
By 1985, according
to one estimate, 75
percent of jobs in
the United States
will involve
computers in sorne
way. People who
don't know how to
use them will be at
a maJor
disadvantage.
res istant or unwilling lo learn will
find the world an alarmingly alíen
place"
( The M icro M illennium,
by
Christopher Evans, page 104).
By 1985, according to one estí–
mate, 75 percent of j obs in the
Uni ted States will involve comput–
ers in sorne way. People who don' t
know how to use them will be at a
major disadvantage.
Others worry about computer
crimi n a l s . Already compu te r
th ieves rip off mi llions of dollars by
breaking compute r cod es. T he
average computer theft involves
around a hal f million dollars, mak–
ing ordinary theft seem petty.
Compu ters also open the way for
serious intrusion by others into
matters of pr ivacy. Al ready many
t ransact ions and details of individu–
als' personal lives are stored in var–
ious public or government data
banks.
" We' re foo l ing a round wi th
thi ngs so new that we can't even
pred ict what they might be used
for," said one m icroelectron ics
physicist recently.
Mic roelectron lc Armageddon
One ave nu e scien t ist s a re now
involved in is building supercooled
semiconductors that can conduct
e lectricity 30 times fas ter t han
today's silicon chips. That permi ts
pushing compu ters to higher speeds.
Faster electrons mean higher fre–
quencies. The military hopes to
develop satell ites and commun ica–
tions with frequencies so high that
no earth bound or enemy forces
could listen in to mili tary planning.
Today's modero a rmies are
extensively electron ic armies.
Weapons designers are pushing the
outer limi ts of all microelectronic
tech nology. They are produc ing
more a nd more soph ist icated
"smar t" bombs, missiles, planes,
tanks, guns and lasers.
T he Soviet Union a nd the
United States are locked in an elec–
t ronics warfare superiority race.
T he Soviets are known to be steal–
ing much advanced Western micro–
elect ronics technology. A major
breakthrough in this race could be
decisive in any fut ure war.
As modero nations move more
a nd mor e in to depe nd ence on
microcircui t ry, human life support
systems can more easily be knocked
out by st rategically targeted nu–
clear blasts.
Jesus Christ foresaw these con–
sequences when he prophesied,
" . . . except those days should be
shor tened , there should no flesh be
saved [alive) " (Matthew 24:22).
But God wi ll not allow this to hap–
pen. He will send Jesus Chr ist with
power to intervene in wor ld affairs
to prevent mankind from using its
incredible technology to totally
annihilate all humanity!
We shall have peace at last , and
prosperity. And th e incred ibl e
potential of the human mind will be
red irected into the way of love and
give, instead of today's way of com–
petition and selfishness. What a
wonderful world that will be.
o
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