I'm Catherine.

我是凱薩琳

Rob: And hello, I'm Rob.

勞勃：哈囉，我是勞勃

Catherine: Today we have another

凱薩琳：今天我們有另一個

technology topic.

科技相關的主題

Rob: Oh good! I love technology.

勞勃：喔！太棒了！我愛科技。它讓

It makes things easier, it's fast and means I can

事情變得更簡單，更快速，而且這意味著我能

have gadgets.

擁有電子產品

Catherine: Do you think that technology

凱薩琳：你認為科技

can actually do things better than humans?

能比人類將事情做得更好嗎？

Rob: For some things, yes. I think

勞勃：以某些事來說，是的，我覺得

cars that drive themselves will be safer than humans

自駕車會比人類駕駛更安全

but that will take away some of

但這也會剝奪一些

the pleasure of driving. So I guess it

開車的樂趣。所以我猜這

depends on what you mean by better.

取決於你所謂「更好」的定義是什麼

Catherine: Good point, Rob. And that

凱薩琳：說得真好，勞勃。而這

actually ties in very closely with today's topic

正好與今天的主題非常相關

which is technochauvinism.

也就是「科技至上主義」

Rob: What's that?

勞勃：那是什麼？

Catherine: We'll find out shortly, Rob, but

凱薩琳：我們馬上就會知道，勞勃，但

before we do, today's quiz question.

在那之前，先來今天的小測驗

Artificial Intelligence, or A.I., is an area of

人工智慧，或縮寫 A.I. 是一個

computer science that develops the

電腦科學的領域，在研發

ability of computers to learn to do things

電腦的功能以學習執行事件

like solve problems or drive cars without crashing.

像是問題解決或安全駕車不失事

But in what decade was the

但在哪一個年代

term 'Artificial Intelligence' coined?

「人工智慧」這個術語被創造出來？

Was it: a) the 1940s, b) the 1950s

是 a) 1940年代、 b) 1950年代、

or c) the 1960s?

或是 c) 1960年代？

Rob: I think it's quite a new expression

勞勃：我覺得這是一個相當新的說法

so I'll go for c) the 1960s.

所以我選 c) 1960年代

Catherine: Good luck with that, Rob,

凱薩琳：祝你好運，勞勃

and we'll give you the answer later in the programme.

我們會在節目尾聲給你答案

Now, let's get back to our

現在，我們回到我們的

topic of technochauvinism.

「科技至上主義」議題

Rob: I know what a chauvinist is.

勞勃：我知道什麼是至上主義者

It's someone who thinks that their country or

是那些認為他們的國家或

race or sex is better than others.

種族或性別比其他人更好的人

But how does this relate to technology?

但這跟科技有什麼相關呢？

Catherine: We're about to find out.

凱薩琳：我們就快知道了

Meredith Broussard is Professor of Journalism at New York University

Meredith Broussard 是紐約大學的新聞系教授

and she's written a book called Artificial Unintelligence.

她曾寫過一本書叫《人工非智能》

She appeared on the BBC Radio 4 programme

她在 BBC 廣播四台的

“More or Less” to talk about it.

「More or Less」節目中談論到這個

Listen carefully and find

仔細聽並找出

out her definition of technochauvinism.

她對科技至上主義的定義

Meredith Broussard: Technochauvinism is

Meredith Broussard：科技至上主義指的是

the idea that technology is always the highest and best solution.

「科技永遠是首要且最好的解決方法」這樣的想法

So somehow over the past couple of decades

所以不知怎麼地，過去數十年以來

we got into the habit of

我們逐漸習慣於

thinking that doing something with a computer

認為用電腦來做某件事

is always the best and most

一定是最好而且最

objective way to do something and

客觀的方法，然而

that's simply not true.

這完全不是事實

Computers are not objective, they are

電腦並非是客觀的，它們是

proxies for the people who make them.

製造者的代理人

Catherine: What is Meredith Broussard's

凱薩琳：Meredith Broussard 對

definition of technochauvinism?

科技至上主義的定義是什麼？

Rob: It's this idea that using technology

勞勃：是「使用科技

is better than not using technology.

比沒有使用科技來的好」這樣的想法

Catherine: She says that we have this idea

凱薩琳：她說我們可能會覺得

that a computer is objective.

電腦是客觀的

Something that is objective is neutral, it doesn't have

客觀的事物表示它是中立的，它不具有

an opinion, it's fair and it's unbiased

任何意見，是公平且不偏頗的

so it's the opposite of being a chauvinist.

所以這是至上主義者的相反

But Meredith Broussard says this is not true.

但是 Meredith Broussard 說這是錯的

Rob: She argues that computers are not

勞勃：她主張電腦並不是

objective. They are proxies for the people that make them.

客觀的。它們是製造者的代理人

You might know the

你可能知道

word proxy when you are using your computer in one country

proxy 這個字，當你在某個國家用你的電腦

and want to look at something

但想瀏覽某些

that is only available in a different country.

只在其他國家看得到的東西

You can use a piece of software

你可以試用一款軟體

called a proxy to do that.

叫做「代理伺服器」來達成

Catherine: But a proxy is also a person or

凱薩琳：但 proxy 也指

a thing that carries out your wishes and

一件完成你願望，以及

your instructions for you.

指令的事物

So computers are only as smart or as

所以電腦的聰明或

objective as the people that programme them.

客觀，只跟設計它們的人相同而已

Computers are proxies for their programmers.

電腦是程式設計師的代理者

Broussard says that believing too much in

Broussard 說太過信任

Artificial Intelligence can make the world worse.

人工智慧會對世界有不好的影響

Let's hear a bit more. This time find out

讓我們繼續聽下去。這次來找出

what serious problems in society

哪些社會上的嚴重問題

does she think may be reflected in AI?

是她認為可能能歸咎於人工智慧的？

Meredith Broussard: It's a nuanced problem.

Meredith Broussard：這是個微妙的問題

What we have is data on the world as it is

我們所擁有的是存在這世上的資料

and we have serious problems with racism,

同時我們也有嚴重的議題，關於種族主義、

sexism, classism, ageism,

性別歧視、階級歧視、年齡歧視

in the world right now so there is

在現今的世界中，所以

no such thing as perfect data.

並沒有所謂完美的資料這回事

We also have a problem inside the tech world

同時我們在科技的世界中也存在著問題

where the creators of algorithms do not

演算程式的創造者並沒有

have sufficient awareness of social issues

充分意識到這些社會議題

such that they can make good technology

以製造出更好的科技產品

that gets us closer to a world as it should be.

讓我們更貼近這個世界，如理想中的

Rob: She said that society has problems

勞勃：她說我們的社會有

with racism, sexism, classism and ageism.

種族主義、性別歧視、階級歧視、年齡歧視等問題

Catherine: And she says it's a nuanced problem.

凱薩琳：而且她說這是一個微妙的問題

A nuanced problem is not simple,

一個微妙的問題並不容易解決

but it does have small and important areas

它存在著細微但重要的議題

which may be hard to spot,

這可能是很難以察覺的

but they need to be considered.

但卻值得慎思

Rob: And she also talked about

勞勃：她還談論到

algorithms used to program these technological systems.

這些用來設計科技系統的演算法

An algorithm is a set of instructions that

一個演算法則是指一系列的指令

computers use to perform their tasks.

電腦用來完成作業的

Essentially it's the rules that they use

實質上，這就是它們用來

to come up with their answers and

形成答案的法則，而且

Broussard believes that technology will

Broussard 相信科技會

reflect the views of those who create the algorithms.

反映出演算法創造者的觀點

Catherine: Next time you're using a piece

凱薩琳：下一次你在使用

of software or your favourite app, you

某個軟件或是你最喜歡的應用程式時，你

might find yourself wondering if it's a

可能會開始好奇，這是否是一項

useful tool or does it contain these little

實用的工具，以及這是否包含了一些

nuances that reflect the views of the developer.

反映出研發者觀點的蛛絲馬跡

Rob: Right, Catherine.

勞勃：沒錯，凱薩琳

How about the answer to this week's question then?

那本週小測驗的答案是什麼呢？

Catherine: I asked in which decade was

凱薩琳：我問，在哪個年代

the term 'Artificial Intelligence' coined.

「人工智慧」這個詞被創造出來

Was it the 40s, the 50s or the 60s?

是在 40 年代、50 年代，還是 60 年代？

Rob: And I said the 60s.

勞勃：而我選 60 年代

Catherine: But it was actually the 1950s.

凱薩琳：但事實上是在 1950 年代

Never mind, Rob. Let's review today's vocabulary.

別在意，勞勃。我們來複習一下今天的單字

Rob: Well, we had a chauvinist - that's

勞勃：我們的單字有「至上主義者」- 那是指

someone who believes their country, race

某些認為他們自己的國家、種族

or sex is better than any others.

或性別優於其他人的人

Catherine: And this gives us technochauvinism,

凱薩琳：而這也引申出「科技至上主義」這個字

the belief that a technological solution is

也就是相信以科技為解決方法

always a better solution to a problem.

永遠是最好的問題解決方案

Rob: Next - someone or something that is

勞勃：下一個 - 當某人或某事是

objective is neutral, fair and balanced.

客觀的，是指他們是中立、公正且公平的

Catherine: A proxy is a piece of software

凱薩琳：「代理人」這個字可以指一套軟體

but also someone who does something for you, on your behalf.

但也指某人以你的名義為你做某事

A nuanced problem is a subtle

一個微妙的問題是指敏感的、

one, it's not a simple case of right or wrong,

不易分出對與錯的問題

in a nuanced problem there are small

在微妙的問題中存在著細微

but important things that you need to consider.

但重要的議題，值得你去省思

Rob: And an algorithm is a set of

勞勃：一個演算法則是指一套

software instructions for a computer system.

電腦系統的軟件指令

Catherine: Well, that's all we have time for today.

凱薩琳：我們今天的時間要結束了

Goodbye for now.

先說再見了

Rob: Bye bye!

勞勃：掰掰！