CInnovationGlobal
Professor Daniel Dennett, one of the world’s leading philosophers and cognitive scientist talks about the ‘Prospective gains and losses from the information explosion’.
Dan Dennett begins his presentation with a question: “Are we dependent on technology? And are we in fact enslaved by it?”. No surprises here — the theme of the conference IS ‘The challenges & opportunities of a super-connected world’.
But then he says something that scares me.
“Do you have a plan for how to keep doing business if the internet was to go down?”
No.
“Do papers, tv networks, hospitals & police stations?”
Now I’m terrified.
Undoubtedly, our lives do depend on technology.
The opportunities that have come with this technological age are almost immeasurable. But within this, we also have more opportunity than ever now to fill ourselves with guilt — now that we CAN do XYZ, we have no excuse. When XYZ still goes undone, we feel guilty.
More than that — what jobs will exist in the future if technology is to continue its exponential growth as (other Ci2011 speaker) Ray Kurzweil suggests? Will doctors become “medical receptionists & doormen”, pushing a few buttons and smiling politely? Where’s the adventure in that?
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@michaelroseagain I agree. Doctors will not become a kind of doormen any time soon. He´s probably reaching out some half century ahead, and I suppose that´s something a philosopher may indulge in. But I think he´s more insightful in assessing how our abilities to process memes in the age of the internet are rapidly transforming.
@michaelroseagain I don't think he's suggesting that any of this will actually happen, rather he is exploring the hypothetical (as philosophers are wont to do) and using this explore how today's world of interconnectedness has shaped us.
🙂
The transparency of information provided by the internet is indeed destroying religion. Thank you Dan Dennett for this presentation.
Dan Dennett: better than santa.
"The warnings of the Chozo—to seek balance between old and new ways."
Never thought Metroid would have anything to do with Dan Dennett but there it is.
Less dull work in order to feed yourself, more time to make the world a better place. Unless all of us end up only indulging in narcissistic consumerism.