Cyborg Anthropology – Page 7

Isaac Asimov – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Asimov believed that his most enduring contributions would be his “Three Laws of Robotics” and the Foundation Series (see Yours, Isaac Asimov, p. 329).

Furthermore, the Oxford English Dictionary credits his science fiction for introducing the words positronic (an entirely fictional technology), psychohistory (which is also used for a different study on historical motivations) and robotics into the English language.

Asimov coined the term robotics without suspecting that it might be an original word; at the time, he believed it was simply the natural analogue of words such as mechanics and hydraulics, but for robots. Unlike his word psychohistory, the word robotics continues in mainstream technical use with Asimov’s original definition.

Star Trek: The Next Generation featured androids with “positronic brains” giving Asimov full credit for “inventing” this fictional technology. His fictional writings for space and time are similar to the writings of Brian W Aldiss, Poul Anderson and Gregory Benford.

Michael Crichton – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

His literary works are usually based on the action genre and heavily feature technology.

His novels epitomize the techno-thriller genre of literature, often exploring technology and failures of human interaction with it, especially resulting in catastrophes with biotechnology. Many of his future history novels have medical or scientific underpinnings, reflecting his medical training and science background.

via Michael Crichton – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Thoughts on News, Connectivity and the Death of Steve Jobs: A Mini-Singularity | Caseorganic Blog

A singularity could be defined as everyone experiencing a certain moment or thought at once. Like having all time zones converge on one time, or the entire planet experiencing the same weather for a moment, these moments of singularity are fascinating to experience.

It’s not that we are always connected to the same thoughts, but that if something globally relevant happens, those who are connected have the capability to experience it at the same time. It does not matter if anyone has the same opinion on the subject, it matters that they are all suddenly aware of the change.

via Thoughts on News, Connectivity and the Death of Steve Jobs: A Mini-Singularity | Caseorganic Blog.

Strauss-Howe generational theory – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Strauss-Howe generational theory – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Strauss and Howe lay the groundwork for the theory in their 1991 book Generations, which retells the history of America as a series of generational biographies going back to 1584.[1]

In their 1997 book The Fourth Turning, the authors expand the theory to focus on a fourfold cycle of generational types and recurring mood eras in American history.[2]

The theory was developed to describe the history of the United States, including the 13 colonies and their Anglo antecedents, and this is where the most detailed research has been done. However, the authors have also examined generational trends elsewhere in the world and identified similar cycles in most of today’s developed countries.[3]

Which World Is Real? The Future of Virtual Reality – A Virtual Future, Changing the Brain, Connection or Isolation?, Computer Addicts

Someday, every home may have its own Holodeck. If that happens, how will virtual reality change people’s lives?

via: Which World Is Real? The Future of Virtual Reality – A Virtual Future, Changing the Brain, Connection or Isolation?, Computer Addicts.

Sherry Turkle

Turkle also explores the psychological and societal impact of such “relational artifacts” as sociable robots, and how these and other technologies are changing attitudes about human life and concepts about what it means for something to be alive.

via Sherry Turkle – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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