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Future Imperative

What if technology were being developed that could enhance your mind or body to extraordinary or even superhuman levels -- and some of these tools were already here? Wouldn't you be curious?

Actually, some are here. But human enhancement is an incredibly broad and compartmentalized field. We’re often unaware of what’s right next door. This site reviews resources and ideas from across the field and makes it easy for readers to find exactly the information they're most interested in.

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The future is coming fast, and it's no longer possible to ignore how rapidly the world is changing. As the old order changes -- or more frequently crumbles altogether -- I offer a perspective on how we can transform ourselves in turn... for the better. Nothing on this site is intended as legal, financial or medical advice. Indeed, much of what I discuss amounts to possibilities rather than certainties, in an ever-changing present and an ever-uncertain future.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

A Roadmap to the 21st Century

Here's a link to Peter Pesti's Detailed Roadmap of the 21st Century. Pesti describes its purpose, "...To allow us to evaluate predictions in context of other predictions; evaluate their credibility in view of the big picture; and finally, to enable us to better plan and prepare for the coming years."

This kind of tool would be most effective as a way of presenting conflicting technological predictions alongside planned completion/release dates for major engineering projects and product rollouts. For example, just when the next generation solar panels or zero-emission vehicles are supposed to come out is critical information. Personally, I believe such a timeline would be most effective if it further included critical milestones relating to, say, the environment, as well as other details like resources, population and economics.

To get a fully effective predictional tool, you would want to cross-reference anticipated techological innovations with anticipated environmental changes, shortfalls in resources, and so forth. By looking at a much broader set of data, you can look at not just how one technology effects another or fails to materialize, but also the natural, social and economic forces that may drive or derail future research.

Pesti clearly leaves interpretation in the hands of his readers:

Since the goal is to provide an overview of predictions, the list contains no original research or predictions: all listed advances are marked with their sources. When time ranges are given in the original sources, the most pessimistic (ie. latest) predictions are used. While the compilation aims to be comprehensive, it does not aim to be coherent: it is up to the reader to resolve conflicting predictions by trusting one (or none) of the sources.


Future Imperative

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