Response 1

For this first week, the prompt is

In Miller and Mitcham's "Technology and Ethics" paper, they introduce a number of ideas that are useful in understanding the interplay between technological and ethical developments. Apply one of those ideas to your use or experiences of some digital technology.

Cultural lag in software tools

As a computer science enthusiast, I am constantly exposed to changing technologies and innovation in software tools. A recent example is my adoption of AI-focused browsers and code editors. When I run a quick internet query, simply typing into Google feels outdated. AI browsers now route each search into a model, delivering tailored responses in the format I want. While this personalization is powerful, I’ve found it almost overkill for basic searches, and I’m still adapting to it. Similarly, I recently tested Cursor, an AI-focused code editor that feeds the entire code base into an ML model, no more copy-pasting, just asking natural questions in the same environment I code. Though I view these advances with optimism, I recognize their risks: loss of control over sources and a tendency to overlook potential downsides. This connects to the “cultural lag” described in the “Technology and Ethics” paper, where technology evolves faster than society can adapt. I’ve personally felt this tension.