An essay I'm just now reading, at
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/lanier/lanier_index.html
It seems to be a high-toned, anti-Singularity piece, with some general
trashing of futurism in general.
"...the belief structure of the inner circle of Digerati, starting softly,
for instance with Godel, Escher, Bach and growing more harsh with recent
entries such as The Age of Spiritual Machines by Ray Kurzweil."
"... the astonishing belief in an eschatological cataclysm in our
lifetimes, brough about when computers become the ultra-intelligent
masters of physical matter and life."
I would like to say that this was a well-thought-out piece, considering its
extensive vocabulary, but it seems in general to be more of a "hit piece"
on Singularitianism and most of the more positive, enablist futurist points of
view.
I got to this link off of the San Jose Mercury website for technology news
in their little "in other news" section - meaning a potentially large audience
for this elegantly crafted "half-manifesto".
Does anyone know of this yet, and is there a rebuttal in the works?
-Corey
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