The kickoff of this blog was somewhat interrupted with the advent of Halloween, and as a result I never truly had time to present a proper introduction to the subject of the technological singularity. Therefore, I’ll be mixing in some posts introducing the singularity and theories about technological progress in general with the regular updates of new discoveries. First, a little bit about my background…
How did I first become interested in our potential to reach a technological singularity? To begin with I’ve always been interested in scientific advancements and love to read up on any new gadgets that are out on the market. I love to tinker with my computer and built my current computer (and couldn’t be happier with the result), so you can see how I’d be even more interested in the potential increases in computing power that we continue to experience.
I think the first time I was introduced to the idea of the singularity was by Ray Kurzweil’s novel The Singularity is Near. Sure, I had heard about artificial intelligence and up and coming biotechnologies, but I had never really considered the implications of such technologies until this book. Around the same time, while in a bookstore, I began thumbing through Joel Garreau’s Radical Evolution, which piqued my interest even more.
Both are great reads if you’re interested in science and/or technology and are interested about the future of humanity. They both provide an in-depth analysis of the possibilities, both positive and negative, that lie in our future. Their discussion is so thorough and thought provoking that I’d even go so far to consider them the cornerstone of any futurist’s library.
I know there are other books out there talking about technology and innovation, so here’s a question for you: What’s your favorite book on technological progress and the future of innovation?
