The New Renaissance: Computers and the Next Level of Civilization
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.42 (749 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0195121899 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 208 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-07-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
In that regard, he provides ample food for thought. He then demonstrates the increasing rate of transformation brought on by computers and concludes that the computer revolution may be the most dramatic of them all. Douglas Robertson knows perfectly well that trying to predict the future is difficult enough at any time. Will the world of dance, for example, ever be dominated by computer-generated performers of infinite grace? Perhaps not. In a period of extreme technological change, with great social change fast on its heels, accurate prediction is a dice
We see how these three inventions changed how we capture, store, and distribute information, and how each thereby triggered an information explosion that transformed society, ushering in a new civilization utterly unlike anything before. Whether one is a computer enthusiast, a popular science buff, or simply someone fascinated by the future, The New Renaissance provides a breathtaking peek at the magnitude of changes we can expect as the full power of computers is unleashed.. These changes have ushered in nothing less than the dawn of a new level of civilization. In The New Renaissance, Robertson offers an important historical perspective on the computer revolution, by comparing it to three earlier landmarks of human development--language, writing, and printing. In films, the computer simulations of Jurassic Park could be eclipsed by "synthespians," artificial actors indistinguishable from living ones. School children, for instance, will forsake pencil and paper for keyboard and calculator, much as their forebears forsook clay tablets and abaci for pencil and paper. But history has never seen a revolution on the scale of the one being sparked by computers today. What can we expect from the most important technological breakthrough in human history? Robertson lays out possible scenarios regarding transformations in science and mathematics, education, language, th
Best Nontechnical Book for Exploring Computer Potential As a nonscientist who is deeply interested in how computers will advance our ability to lead productive, meaningful, and rewarding lives, I found this book to be very provocative and helpful. Instead of looking only at business or computer science, the author extends in many different directions to consider how computers could change the potential, fabric, and value of our lives. Not being knowledgeable in some of the fields, I found it helpful to have a tour guide who could explain what remains to be done in terms of problem solving and creating better mouse traps. While no one person can be. "An upbeat preview of a world transmuted by computers." according to reasenberg@cfa.harvard.edu. To live at the beginning of a new era is exciting; to do so and understand what is happening is a rare privilege. Douglas Robertson offers to share this privilege with us by presenting his vision of a world transformed by computers in the not-too-distant future. It is an upbeat peek at the future, devoid of the gloomy forecasts of some "future shock" science fiction adventures. As with all penetrating portrayals of the future, The New Renaissance is provocative and draws controversial conclusions. I often found myself arguing with the book -- and not always winning, as I read the elaboration . "A fascinating look at a major revolution in progress" according to A Customer. A significant amount of the material in this fascinating new look at a historical-revolution-in-the-making was used in a course that Dr. Robertson and I taught to beginning, non-mathematical students here at the University of Colorado. It quickly became apparent that one of the students favorite parts of the course was the material upon which Dr. Robertson lectured, primarily because the students could clearly see his main points in their evaluations of the world around them. As the Director of the Colorado Center for Chaos & Complexity, I am certainly persueded that the advent of the compute