Abstract

This paper examines the societal paradigm shift growing from the tension between traditional institutional structures, in law and medicine for example, and the expansion of the human population. Similarly, the definition of “reality” in relation to the technological ability to create “virtual reality” in this environment is examined as a _cyberæsthetic_ component of this evolutionary process. The question is presented as to whether the mere algebraic expansion of the traditional systems is adequate to maintain the relationship between human beings and technology despite the pressure of increasing population numbers. At issue is the proposition of whether the quality of human existence is diminished by the rapid onset of technological innovation. The corollary concept is the potential subjugation of human beings to the machine in the name of efficiency, with the movie “Metropolis” as the example from popular culture. Set in the context of the Three Laws, the paper presents an interdisciplinary examination as to the relationship between technological progress and the quality of life of the human species.