The twenty first century has already seen a rapid technoligization of practically every aspect of life. Indeed, it could not but affect the labor force. The question is: in what way has it done so?
Firstly and foremostly, apart from obvious computerization, we can speak of robots being introduced in the labor force environment. There are two facets of this process – the positive one and the negative one. As for the first, robots have taken on the most difficult and in certain cases most dangerous work. As for the second, it may be justly maintained that robots have endangered certain professions or so is the layman impression if he cares. (Pinto, 2003)
Indeed, this two-facet approach is in a way an oversimplification of the problem since the problem, from our point of view, should be considered in its integrity and complexity – something that we intend to achieve in the present work. It is clear that the old-fashioned view on the world in terms of “black-white” is not always working and in regard to robots we can state that the problem is largely unsettled and no matter how many arguments for or against we can set, it is the progress of science that will have the final say and this progress, we believe, is largely unstoppable.
Indeed, the emergence of robots has given rise to many a new field of knowledge. Actually, one can already testify that together with the emergence of robots, the emergence of science that specifically ‘caters’ for robots – robotics. Furthermore, robots have changed our perception of such traditional and classic sciences as mathematics or physics. (Waurzyniak, 2006)
One can surmise that in the future both of them will devote a lot of their aspirations to the problem of robots. Furthermore, we may go so far as to think of robotics in itself being diversified and evolving into a science on boundaries of robotic proper (technological aspect) and philosophy. It is within the latter science that the question which is the subject of the present paper, namely the interconnection between robots and labor force and usefulness and profitability of robots, will be addressed.
On the other hand, this is all very much in the coming. Robotics is in its incipient stage but problems in regard to robots and labor force animate many people and it would not be an exaggeration to state that they concern many people in their professional lives, to say nothing of people’s developing certain attitudes to robots in everyday household life, though a notion of robots as ‘servants’ at home still looks very innovative and advanced, - even extraordinary and uncanny, one can say. Yet who will claim that this will be the case in 10 or 20 years to come?
In fact, let us apply to an authoritative scientific article that we can analyze in order to address the issue of relationship between robots and labor force. On Pew Research Center site there are quite a few articles available on the topic which in itself is the best testimony of urgency of the problem. One of these is called ‘Public Predictions for the Future of Workforce Automation’. Let us see what the vision is that the leading scientists have on the matter in question.
Actually, the article is useful from the other perspective as well since it addresses the public opinion – something that too often slips the attention of scientific circles. Yet, it goes without saying, that it is public opinion that sets an agenda. It is the preoccupation of ordinary people with a certain aspect of life that testifies to its importance and urgency as well as its future development.
In this regard, it is noteworthy to cite the statistics from the article which clearly says that a vast majority of American are absolutely convinced that in next 50 years or so robots and computers will have replaced humans in many a field of work. On the other hand, ironically, proportionately much fewer professionals give a thought to it and most of them still persist in the belief that their job is absolutely essential and that they themselves cannot be superseded by robots that easily.
This attitude can be understood at least on the personal level – who wants to think of oneself unflatteringly and compare oneself to a robot that in the end is winning over your vocation! Yet the evidence is quite persuading: there is increasing testimony that various robots ranging from rather simple analytic tools to a being newly developed machines can compete in terms of intellect with their creators – at least so is the idea of the article we have taken for analysis.
On the other hand, this theory of robots overcoming barriers of intellectual supremacy of humans and themselves developing their intellect, no matter how sci-fi or nightmarish it might be, is not a kind of an outlandish theory confined to the ‘mentally deranged’ communities of evil geniuses. Many respected researchers that can be trusted voice their opinion similar to the above stated but let us come back to the article. (White, 2005)
When might we expect these major changes? Again prophesies may fall much short of truth but most of ordinary people believe that the transformation will happen in the next half-century. Does it already make a stir?
Surprisingly not. The reason behind this mass indifference stance has been already named – many of us still are quite confident that their jobs will not be jeopardized by robot interlopers or we prefer not think of it. Yet the author of the article points out more profound reasons for such indifference which is, actually, far from being indifference – simply first things come first, it might be argued.
And what are the priorities in the labor force market today? Are robots still on the periphery of labor market? Neither the author nor other scientists nor we believe it to be the case. Actually, we would claim that robots are on the cutting edge of new developments but, on the other hand, we cannot but agree with the author’s contention that there are more pressing issues, the issues we are all painfully aware of – low-paid, underpaid workers, neglect of those by employers, some broader industry trends, etc. (Smith)
Let us add to the above stated problems, all arguments on gender inequality, environmental hazards, reemerging racism in labor market environment and it will seem like we have our hands full with concerns to really give a second thought to robots. And yet a careful observer will stress that the impending robot integration in the immediate workforce will not only change all this, but outshine it with pressing urgency. It will transform our vision of the world, to put it in a nutshell.
Encroachment of robots on our affairs, however, will not be the beginning of mankind decline and eclipse. On the contrary, robots will be most handy in exploration of space, combatting global warming problems (not causing them, as some propound!), further development of science, especially those aspects of it which hitherto have been explored at the tremendous health risks for explorers.
Frankly speaking, there is hardly a field where robots cannot be integrated into. We have dwelled on some dangerous jobs, but one does not require very wild imagination to expect robots help (not supplant, as is an opinion of some!) teachers. Robots will probably make teaching process more interactive, entertaining and captivating for our children or rather, according to most predictions, to our grandchildren. However, a problem arises: will robots not raise the likes of themselves, the ones that cannot feel and experience normal range of human emotions? And this is where teachers come in!
We believe, in other words, that teachers will still be absolutely essential and robots will be like supplementary objects, not masters of pedagogical process. So will it be in medicine, with robots performing the most difficult surgeries but under supervision of human doctors. What is more, doctors and especially nurses will still play the major and most decisive role in caring for patients – it would be too cruel and unjust to the latter to leave them in hands of the ones that can hardly go through emotions like love.
Still the contention that robots cannot do something at this stage is vague. The Japanese scientists for decades have been actively involved in developing of robots of new generation, robots that can, actually, smile, feel happy and sad. (Jane, 1997) Nevertheless, does this amount to the range of human emotions? Hardly. Even the domestic animals, it can be argued, profess wider emotional outpour than those non-how robots. (Ho et al. 2008) Nevertheless, the point is it is only beginning and nobody can be certain to the continuation of the once started. Probably, with science progress, robots will be closer and closer to humans in every imaginable aspect but never will they be totally like humans – there is no need to be terrified at this prospect.
References
Jane, Marie. 1997. Law, Puppets of Nostalgia. The Life, Death and Rebirth of the Japanese Awaji Ningyo Tradition. Princeton University Press.
Ho, C. C.; MacDorman, K. F.; Pramono, Z. A. D. (2008). Human emotion and the uncanny valley: A GLM, MDS, and ISOMAP analysis of robot video ratings. Proceedings of the Third ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction.
Pinto, Jim. 2003. Fully automated factories approach reality. AutomationWorld.
Smith Aaron. Public predictions for the future of workforce automation. Pew Research Center, retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/03/10/public-predictions-for-the-future-of-workforce-automation/
Waurzyniak, Patrick. 2006. "Masters of Manufacturing: Joseph F. Engelberger". Society of Manufacturing Engineers 137 (1).
White, Michael (2005). Isaac Asimov: A Life of the Grand Master of Science Fiction. Carroll & Graf.
