Ray Kurzweil is perhaps one of the foremost technological optimists in the world today. He says that we are nearing a period where technology will transform what it means to be human. Here is a question and answer with him from the New York Times. We will talk about the Industrial Revolution as one of the fundamental changes in human society. Kurzweil says what is coming will be even bigger. He thinks humans will live forever. (It is interesting that Stephen Jobs said that death was the greatest invention.) Do you think that people living forever would hurt society?
Monday, January 28, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Disney and Information
One of the themes of the history of technology is how information has become a more and more important aspect of every part of American life. Yesterday the New York Times had an article about how DisneyWorld is introducing digital bracelets to all its guests that may transform the experience of Disney World. Guests can use the bracelets to make purchases. Disney can use the bracelets to track every part of a guest's visit. (How many times did someone go down Thunder Mountain?) Is this big brother or a really neat thing that will add to people's enjoyment? Walt Disney was someone who was very interested in how technology would develop in the future, but I don't think even he understood how central information technology would be.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)