DEBATE: Technology vs. Soldiers

I am waiting for one more on my side as well *cough* Cold Anger *cough*

See, each human trooper has human failings. Technology doesnt make such mistakes.

He and K_os are somewhere drinking a beer and talking sports when they are supposed to be here.

Naw, technology just has software go stupid and send cruise missiles into the wrong country. Or the CDU smokes in the cockpit or that chaffing wire finally shorts to ground, killing FLIR, etc. Technology is no more failsafe than highly trained humans. As a matter of fact, I'll place my bets on the highly trained trooper that has a courageous human spirit and a very human desire to be there for God, country, honor, and his fellow soldier.

I'll place my bets on the highly trained trooper that has a courageous human spirit and a very human desire to be there for God, country, honor, and his fellow soldier. Posted by Thomas Crowne

Then why does both the US and Russia have a "Final Option" program? (IE, completely automated system, fires a converted ICBM into orbit that automatically remoted launches all nukes in the inventory. Once initiated, it cannot be shut down)

Because, in every game, there must be a loser. In this case, they will insure that everyone is a loser.

Three cheers for technology! Once initiated, it cannot be turned off! No common sense allowed.

To be completely honest, it is just the next step for MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction). Does it sound insane? Yes. But, it did prevent nuclear war for over 50 years, so it apparently works.

Nuclear war between two superpowers with something to lose.

And what if a series of smuggled weapons are detonated across the nation? Might a stupid computer not understand what is going on?

Never place you life entirely in the hands of technology. It cannot make the decisions a human can, nor can it distinguish between similar yets subtly differing situations like you can.

Could a computer really make that much better of a decision? If you are sitting in a control center underground, and all you know is that cities are suddenly disappearing from your computer screens, what can you do about it?

(Yes, they can tell. Each major city has detectors that only trigger specifically by nuclear explosions. They were put there to tell NORAD if someone found a way to sneak nukes past early warning.)

So if you are the General on watch, and say NYC, LA, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Philly all disappear in a mushroom cloud, and you have no reports of lauches, what are you to do? Call for leadership? Uh oh, Washington just went, and the president didnt make it on Air Force One.... you have to make the decision.

Since william isnt here, and since i came up with the idea for this debate I have officaly made it closed. Since K_os and coldanger have forfited their turns because of not posting in the time limit.

I will set up a poll, and no debate team members may vote in the poll. Good luck to both teams!!!!

Where should i set up the poll? I cant set one up in the debate forum.

[Edited on 19-5-2003 by ilovepizza]

Try the chit chat I think its the only place to set up polls.

Oh and set it up so they have to vote for one team or the other, I think thats only fair.

Good idea, pizza boy, and Advisor is also correct in placing it in the chat area.

I hope we find that nobody bothered with out shoot-out. How disappointing that will be!

I'm sorry for not getting to post this weekend. This no-fail technology was to blame. If our war machines are as "reliable" as A o'hell (aol) then I am suprised that we have ever won a war. I was able to get on for a couple of minutes Saturday and then bam... Aol is unable to keep or establish a connection, So it took until I got to work this morning to be able to post.

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Be Cool
K_OS

I think you have just made our case for us!
The humans rest.

My apologize for the delay, i was really sick those 10 days and i didn´t even logged in my pc, sorry for leaving you without sayin anything but i coulnd´t believe me...

Well the debate is over, and i could just say something in that period of time, it wasn´t my intention dragonrider i wanted to post 2 or 3 things more on that debate, anyway doesn´t matter now, it´s closed

Dont worry about it.

Kaos was unavailable as well. It was fun while it lasted!

Think TC and I had a lot of fun with our last minute shootout there

Hey, think we both had great teams, enjoyed it!