Breakpoint -- a Possible Breakthrough...
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In what will no doubt be one of the most widely read popular books featuring transhumanism, Richard Clarke (formerly the U.S. counter-terrorism czar) discusses a clash between terrorists determinted to stop transhumanist research and -- well -- a world ill-equipped to stop them. His book, Breakpoint, could be described as follows (on a dust jacket, say...):
In Against All Enemies, Richard Clarke warned about how we were conducting the war against terror. In his bestselling first novel, The Scorpion's Gate, he demonstrated what could happen. And now, in Breakpoint, America's preeminent counterterrorism expert and #1 bestselling author shows us all what might come next.
The global village--an intricately intertwined network of technology that binds together the world's economies, governments, and communication systems. So large, so vital--and so fragile. Now a sophisticated group is seeking to "disconnect the globe"--destroying computer grids, communications satellites, Internet cable centers, biotech firms. Hard to do? If only that were so.
Quickly, a dedicated team of men and women assembles to try to track the group down, searching through right-wing militias and Russian organized crime, Jihadist terrorists and enemy nation-states. But the attacks are coming more swiftly now, and growing in destructiveness. Soon, they will reach the breakpoint--and then there may be nothing anybody can do.
...
Reviewers everywhere praised the suspense and pace of The Scorpion's Gate, the vivid depictions of war, espionage, and bureaucracy, but most of all they hailed its authenticity. "Unlike most novelists, the man has been there and done that," said The New York Times Book Review. "Some of us," added The Washington Post, "have learned to listen when Richard A. Clarke has something to say." And we'd better hope they're listening now.
Clarke himself describes the gist of the novel, and the stakes that are at play in his story (and, some might say, in the real world) in this video clip.
He also explains why "sometimes you can tell more truth through fiction."
Given that Richard Clarke just promoted his book on the Colbert Report, we can safely assume this novel will make a bit of a splash and, more importantly, get some of the issues of human augmentation, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and so forth out before the larger public. Instead of remaining the playthings of tech enthusiasts and various bio-conservatives and neo-Luddites. I believe the quality of these debates can only benefit from greater and deeper public awareness.
You can get a copy of Breakpoint on Amazon.
AI, Bio, Cyber, Nano, Soc
Future Imperative
In what will no doubt be one of the most widely read popular books featuring transhumanism, Richard Clarke (formerly the U.S. counter-terrorism czar) discusses a clash between terrorists determinted to stop transhumanist research and -- well -- a world ill-equipped to stop them. His book, Breakpoint, could be described as follows (on a dust jacket, say...):
In Against All Enemies, Richard Clarke warned about how we were conducting the war against terror. In his bestselling first novel, The Scorpion's Gate, he demonstrated what could happen. And now, in Breakpoint, America's preeminent counterterrorism expert and #1 bestselling author shows us all what might come next.
The global village--an intricately intertwined network of technology that binds together the world's economies, governments, and communication systems. So large, so vital--and so fragile. Now a sophisticated group is seeking to "disconnect the globe"--destroying computer grids, communications satellites, Internet cable centers, biotech firms. Hard to do? If only that were so.
Quickly, a dedicated team of men and women assembles to try to track the group down, searching through right-wing militias and Russian organized crime, Jihadist terrorists and enemy nation-states. But the attacks are coming more swiftly now, and growing in destructiveness. Soon, they will reach the breakpoint--and then there may be nothing anybody can do.
...
Reviewers everywhere praised the suspense and pace of The Scorpion's Gate, the vivid depictions of war, espionage, and bureaucracy, but most of all they hailed its authenticity. "Unlike most novelists, the man has been there and done that," said The New York Times Book Review. "Some of us," added The Washington Post, "have learned to listen when Richard A. Clarke has something to say." And we'd better hope they're listening now.
Clarke himself describes the gist of the novel, and the stakes that are at play in his story (and, some might say, in the real world) in this video clip.
He also explains why "sometimes you can tell more truth through fiction."
Given that Richard Clarke just promoted his book on the Colbert Report, we can safely assume this novel will make a bit of a splash and, more importantly, get some of the issues of human augmentation, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and so forth out before the larger public. Instead of remaining the playthings of tech enthusiasts and various bio-conservatives and neo-Luddites. I believe the quality of these debates can only benefit from greater and deeper public awareness.
You can get a copy of Breakpoint on Amazon.
AI, Bio, Cyber, Nano, Soc
Future Imperative
posted by Ralph Cerchione | Thursday, January 18, 2007
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