Ethical Ramifications of Technological Progress

In Karel Caprek’s R.U.R., we visit the familiar topic of human intelligence and the blurred lines between subservient and lesser beings and their masters. Like in Frankenstein, technology has allowed man to create another human-like creature. However, the dissonance comes from Frankenstein viewing his creation as a monster, whereas the monster viewed himself as a human, with real feelings, emotions, and human needs. Similarly, in R.U.R., technology has progressed to the point where these robots are not what we would consider ‘robots’. They are essentially human clones. However, like in Frankenstein, they are still treated as if they are machine.

Though it was written almost 100 years ago, it still holds extremely relevant pertinence today. In an age of exponentially advancing technology, we will eventually reach the point of being able to create a replica of a human that thinks and feels with the same processes as we do. The ethical dilemma will come when we have to decide how human to make these robots, and for what purpose we want them for. If we are looking for them to be a cheaper form of labor, we cannot make the same mistake that occurred in R.U.R. and allow them to thinking and feel for themselves. Just because we reach that point in technology and are able to give them emotions doesn’t mean that we should do it. At this point, technologies are improving at such fast paces that it seems that we don’t stop to consider the ramifications and consequences of our creations as a society.