| A
freewheeling, sometimes scatterbrained romp through the technological
challenges, dangers and opportunities facing the human race
in the new century, the newest book by information age guru
Martin is in equal measures exhilarating, thought provoking
and just plain crazy in its zeal for emerging technologies.
Martin, known for his influential The Wired Society (1978),
believes that nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, genetic
engineering and other advances could not only moderate but
eventually reverse the effects of global warming while giving
us superhuman strength, superior intelligence and the possibility
of living to 1,000 or beyond. On the potentials of supercomputing,
Martin writes, "Human intelligence is very broad but
relatively shallow, while machine intelligence is very narrow
but can be miles deep." The first half of this assertion
is well borne out by his book, which skips lightly from sobering
discussions of cataclysmic climate change, massive natural
disasters and terrorism to breathless riffs on hydroponics,
pebble-bed nuclear reactors and "transhumanism."
Often reading like a course catalogue for Oxford University's
new James Martin Institute for Science and Civilization, the
book should arguably have been split into two or three installments,
but tech enthusiasts will find much to spur debate. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information,
a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This
text refers to the Hardcover edition.
All Customer Reviews
5 out of 5 - Oct 21, 2006
This book has been a revelation. It is remarkably
well-written and argues cogently for a pro-active management
of our planet and its resources. It has something of interest
to all. It is broad-ranging, comprehensive, accessible and
truly inspirational.
As a teacher, I would strongly recommend James
Martin to any student preparing for A-levels or degree studies
in Geography, Philosophy, Cultural studies, Environmental
Studies, Business Studies and many other disciplines.
As a concerned member of the human race, I would
hope that this book finds its way onto the desks of CEOs of
multinational companies as well as presidents and prime ministers.
This book should determine the politics and
economics of the next century. The book deals with the dangers
we face as we navigate the 21st Century; global warming, terrorism,
religious extremism, water-shortage, power-supply for an increasingly
technology-dependent society.
If the warnings contained within are ignored
we head towards a very dangerous period with little chance
of survival; if heeded, we will equip ourselves with the right
tools (economic, environmental, social and political) to improve
our chances.
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