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Robots: Superior to Mankind?

Nowadays, there is a public controversy concerning the issue of whether mankind will always be superior to machines. Some people argue that since machines are only tools of humankind, they will always be inferior to us, while others hold that machines, especially computers with artificial intelligence, will ultimately surpass us in every aspect of intellectual life. In my opinion, we must carefully consider what we mean by the word "superior" before we can answer the question.

If "superior" is meant to mean the knowledge, speed, and accuracy in doing certain technical jobs, the machines of our day will surpass human beings in most areas, given their efficiency and endurance. For instance, a specially designed computer program can solve a complex equation in moments that would take a person working with pencil and paper several days to solve. What's more, computers can keep on working for days even months without any need for rest and no diminishment in accuracy, while people require rest and recreation. Computers can store and instantly retrieve vast amounts of information in its memory while people may often forget the most important thing. Some machines, such as a hoist, are capable of accomplishing feats of strength that no human individual could ever dream of. In this sense, machines are like miracles that we have created to help us in our adaptation and reconstruction of the material world.

However, if the word "superior" is defined on the basis of creative thinking and emotional sensitivity, machines are inferior to mankind, at least at the present time. For example, we recognize familiar faces within a second or less, but a computer must follow a series of complex procedures in order to recognize even a face that has been presented to it thousands of times. Besides, while computers have been developed that are capable of producing works of art, such as pictures and musical compositions, such computer-generated works are devoid of any their creator's feelings since computers are non-sensate. Since machines, especially computers, are developing at a tremendous rate today, we can't rule out the possibility that in the future the machines can surpass humans in almost every field. But up to now, it is still incomparable to the power of human thinking in many aspects and is still under human control. Human beings should make good use of machines and remember that their development is meant to benefit mankind.

For the reasons mentioned above, I hold that humans and machines are not comparable unless we define our specific usage of the word "superior". Machines have the advantage in some areas while the human being holds the edge in the realm of creative thinking. We should utilize machines to support and enhance our thinking about the social life and avoid their improper use and application.