Vannevar Bush’s ‘As We May Think’ is a truly interesting article which explores the development of science as we know it. He weighs up the advantages of ‘man’s science’ – increased control of our material environment and improved clothing/food/shelter. Bush then continues on to reflects upon the inhibiting effect that scientists and their differing specialisations can have on one another – arguing that there are simply too many developments than can be grasped and remembered. In order to combat this hinderance, Bush argues that scientists should focus on making their combined knowledge more accessible to one another – rather than overloading the already crowded database that is scientific research. This got me thinking – and not for the first time about a possible solution to this problem. Imagine if there was some kind of worldwide knowledge super-computer which one could plug oneself into and learn everything and anything they desired at the flick of a switch; almost like how Buzz suddenly speaks fluent Spanish and becomes a dancing casanova when he enters ‘Spanish mode‘ – that’d be the day. This article is an absolute gem of a take on the future, proposing a number of ideas which don’t seem ridiculous or even out of the question – but rather suggest that we don’t know where things will end up, or how the world will be different in a couple of decades.
Theodor Holm Nelson. WOW. That’s one introduction to a book I never, ever, ever saw coming. I actually think it would be impossible to propose a more confusing read-through of a piece of writing, or several – chapters zero through three. Anyway, onwards I read, only to find myself tripping on the idea of Xanadu storage networks. What just happened? What did I just read? The only conclusion I was able to draw from this reading was the idea of developing networks that are capable of storing and accessing an unlimited bank of data. Which is vaguely related to my super computer featuring a ‘plug n’ learn’ feature for the human brain…somehow.
Relating these two readings to the symposium, I feel as though it is important to be able to speculate – and whilst there is no limit to how far we think ahead, Elliot’s point about being ‘grounded’ was something that I took away from the symposium and had an impact on me.
Needless to say – these readings were very…speculative. Confusing the bejesus out of me whilst also provoking a lot of thought, just as the unlectures before them did. Twinkle, twinkle, how I wonder what the future holds.
