Humanity’s Evolution and Development, Essay Example  

As historically viewed, humanity’s evolution and development is inescapable and progress among various areas is fated. As frail yet ambitious beings, we are chased by a constant need for self-improvement and development of our surroundings. The three books that are reviewed portray a burden that the main characters must carry caused by inventions and technological improvements, which were originally programmed to work and think for the sake of humankind. However, these hi-tech products soon surpass their creators and eventually think and act individually introducing new consequences. Ultimately, uneasiness sets among the creators of such artificial intelligence; a deep rooted emotion perhaps relating to the fear of an almighty God since the beginning of time, this fear relates to anxiety over a question of whether the new product would bring fatal consequences uncontrollable for the ones responsible. When juxtaposed, Flowers for Algernon, Blade Runner and I, Robot, we reveal to ourselves humanities dreading over its own superior sentient creations.

In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie demonstrated his superiority to his co-workers when he was able to improve the company’s production.  An example of this is when he figured a way to speed up the mixing machines and even improve the mix (progress report 10). Everyone at this work became frightened and hostile towards him. He was even told that “now you are mister know it all”. They feared of the rapid growth of intellect, making Charlie wiser and superior over the co-workers who once made fun of his stupidity. This fear made them gang up intending to get him fired. It is clear here that Charlie’s superiority alienated him due to his co-worker’s bewildered fear over his intelligence. Originally they tried to improve him numerous times (teaching rolls), the moment he surpasses them intellectually, they begin to fear him because he became superior to them. His love Alice Kinnian at first is fond of Charlie, but when his intellect begins to exceed hers and he is unable to build a relationship with her. His family repudiates him. This is a typical case where people start to beware of people who are superior of them, which is biologically inherited from the tribal history where the strongest member of a clan was the leader.

In Blade Runner, humanity created androids (replicants) which are virtually identical to their creator yet are not granted the same rights and privileges. They are created for slave work, and military purposes. However, since they are capable of thinking on their own, a group of them escape their slavery status and head to Earth to blend in with humans. These androids are as intelligent as humans, they are capable of doing the same things, only that they have greater strength then ordinary humans. Caution of human beings, considering the androids is displayed through presence of an expiry date for all replicants, and having them forbidden on earth, as they are individual, possibly uncontrollable and in some cases superior. In Blade Runner human beings have become impersonal and cold to their surroundings. This book shows that in all technological innovations that people build they must not lose their humism.

In I, Robot, we see yet again, that robots are limited. The robots are created to help people in their everyday lives, they are limited with Asimov’s “three laws of robotics”, where they must not in any way harm humans. Unions begin to protest as Robots can do their jobs better and are superior to humans and even creators start to have their insecurities. Another strong example is in “Liar”, when a robot called “Herbie” by mistake starts to be able to read thoughts. Here the truth that the robot tells begins to hurt and upset people around him, so the robot begins to lie in order to not offend humans. The insecurities that build among people lead to fear and thereby, we see that humanity is dreading its sentient creations. Humans begin to be unsure in the robots, and again about the control over them.

Since we see that humanity dreads its sentient creations that appear to be in some ways superior over humans, we must always remember to be human in all meanings. In Flowers for Algernon and the bakery workers, Blade Runner and banning robot’s expiry, freedom and presence on earth, and I, Robot with the outlawing of robots on Earth and resentment over the lost control, we see fear among humans, represented by questions of “What will happen if the product that I created escapes my control and influence?”  Although it is unavoidable that our creations in some aspects will become superior to us and possibly will also become emotional, congruently our fear of something more superior admonishes our security, and this apprehension will remain in the future.