So, what's this post going to be about? The title says it all, doesn't it? The technological singularity has become a bit of a buzzword, at least in the field of applied sciences. Now that should be interesting to you.
I have already explained in this blog how the English language has incorporated lots of science-related terms into non-technical conversations: quantum leap, momentum, light-years, to resonate, etc. The Big Bang Theory is a hit TV series. So when someone says something like I first chose Chemistry and Biology but soon gravitated towards the performing arts they might not realize that the verb to gravitate originated in the field of Physics as an exclusively technical term. Now it's one of those lexicalized metaphors that we discussed in the previous unit, remember?
My point is: any competent speaker of a foreign language ought to become at least superficially acquainted with some "science-y" jargon. Yes. Even if you are not the STEM type. Think about it. Some form of A.I. has already crept into your day-to-day life, whether it's Siri, Alexa or any of their distant cousins. And it's not only digital voice assistants that you may be used to. The spell check feature on your cellphone, the suggestions on Netflix or Amazon, the social media apps... They are all dependent on some kind of A.I. If you're still not convinced of the ever-increasing importance of technology in our world just consider the very existence of our beloved humankind. It takes but a cursory glance at any list of people who saved millions of lives to realize that all those individuals are somehow connected with technology.
As for the singularity, it is not an absolute certainty (remember the much talked about Y2K?) but there is no denying that it is within the realm of possibility. Those of you mildly interested in the topic may want to check out the video below, which, in a user-friendly manner, discusses some of the most fascinating questions about the impending technological singularity. It's a little longer than the clips I usually post but it pays off in terms of vocabulary. In it you'll see interesting adjectives (far-fetched, unfathomable, subservient), usable collocations (to work feverishly, to fully understand, killer accuracy, computer glitch) and a relatively new word (borg). Enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment