Four views on singularities
Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 05:04AM 
Daniel H. Wilson's new book Amped* offers a chilling future in which technologically-enhanced (not silicon) humans are a persecuted minority. Great social commentary, fast-moving plot, and interesting science, that moves Wilson out of the "fun but kinda-dumb" category of his first book Robopocalypse.
So I am not sure if my radar is more sensitive because of reading this book or if something's in the air, but three more singularity resources have appeared over the last week. Coincidence or something far, far more sinister????
Interview with Vernor Vinge:
Dear Doug,
This morning, I published an interview with Vernor Vinge. Yes, THE Vernor Vinge -- the guy who envisioned the Technological Singularity, won five Hugo Awards, and is a patron saint to nerds everywhere.
It is posted at: http://www.educationfutures.com/2012/07/16/the-singularity-and-schools-an-interview-with-vernor-vinge/
Vernor is unbelievably smart.
He argues that accelerating technological change will bring about the end of the human era as we know it, and that the world will become so complex and foreign to human observers, it will be impossible to predict what will happen next. So, I asked, what does this mean for schools?
I'm really happy with how the session turned out, so please give it a view and share it with your networks if it seems interesting. Like all of our work at educationfutures.com, it is Creative Commons licensed, so feel free to reuse, remix any parts of it (or all of it!), and share alike.
All the best,John W. Moravec, Ph.D.
www.educationfutures.com
I'd always given Ray Kurzweil the credit for the idea of a machine intelligence singularity. Now I know it was Vinge.
Speaking of Kurzweil, here is a short PBS interview. I like him better in his books than in person.
As Humans and Computers Merge ... Immortality?
Paul Solman interviews inventor Ray Kurzweil, who predicts that advancing technology will result in augmented brains, memories recorded on "mind files" and a greatly increased life span.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/july-dec12/immortal_07-10.html
Of course, lawyers can muck up even immortality - especially copyright lawyers....
Welcome to Life by Tom Scott
A science fiction story about what you see when you die. Or: the Singularity, ruined by lawyers.
I am waiting for cord that goes directly from my iPhone to my brain. Maybe for Christmas this year?
*There is also another book titled Amped by Douglas E. Richards.
Reader Comments (1)
The Tofflers (FUTURE SHOCK) and Kurzeil were both mentioned in an interview I heard yesterday on the Bob Edwards show with Parag and Ayesha Khanna authors of HYBRID REALITY (which I started reading last night). It was fascinating and frightening and has huge implications for education. http://www.bobedwardsradio.com/blog/2012/7/19/khanna-hybrid-reality.html