By Jules Herr, Greg Phoenix, and Bert Weidt
In As We May Think Dr. Bush makes startiling predicitions about technologies which were ahead of his time. What insights went behind these amazing predictions? Bush's predicitions are not solely centered on technology, they deal with the evoloution of mind. In a sense, he's inventing the tools for evolving conGreg Phoenix, Jules Herr, or Bert Weidt. sciousness, not just makining future technological predictions.
Dr. Bush approaches his future with a most positive perspective. Mankind is a team approaching peace. Bush isn't ignoring technology either, it is a tool, an extension of ourselves. Even the most destructive tools that science invents are our tools for achieving peace. We in fact need to do this to bring about peace.
Upon which aspects of our conscious evolution does Bush base his arguments? Humanity is ever growing, and Bush sees three main concepts which highlight current states of evolution.
Bush sees, in 1945, the importance of these human concepts, and sees them as the future driving factors of technology. Was he right in these philosophical predictions?Dr. Bush's view that humanitiy is increasing control over our environment is well based in history of science and technology. It seems that mankind's progress has been marked by the material tools by which we affect our environment. In this respect, Bush looks toward the future, and extends this notion of environmental control to new technological devices which will continue to change the world in which we live.
Simililarly, another aspect of our evolution has been our steadily increasing use and need for communication. This applies to the amount of knowledge that can be easily transferred and the abilitly to make information available. Bush suggests a somewhat pragmatic view of knowledge. The knowledge of individuals and our species is not linear. Knowledge is made up of interrelationships between ideas. One peice of knowledge is as important as another, for they all support each other in a sort of web of knowledge. Bush forsees new and better communications devices and methods which make linking our knowledge together possible.
Finally, Bush's predictions are based on our ever increasing knowledge base. With new knowledge we enable ourselves to build better technology which will in turn enable us to learn. With our material tools and our ability to easily transfer knowledge and information we are seeing an exponential growth in information and the ability to use our knowledge.
Bush's insights into the functioning of our collective consciousness combined with his understanding of technology and its social impacts makes allows him to make startling predictions about the future of science. Read about some of his technological predictions in the next section.