Readers wanting an example of less ego-submerged thinking about social and technical developments are better off consulting Jaron Lanier, whom the reviewer also has discussed recently. Lanier offers much more cogent insights, and one has the sense that further refined observations are coming about the themes which interest him. Besides arguments derived from real human experience instead of abstract theorizing, Lanier offers a grounded approach which is no afraid to proclaim the self-evident reality of things like mind and spirit and consciousness.  Thus he is not handcuffed like many modern intellects by a slavish allegiance to an ideology which cannot withstand serious scrutiny, but rather tried to survive and extend itself by escaping critical examination and functioning as a modern axiom.

Essentially I agree with his view… (if I’m stating it roughly correctly that both life, and the technology produced by life… are natural parts of a more comprehensive universal drive towards consciousness, intelligence… or something akin to old Teijard’s vision).

The only issue I have is what sometimes seems like excessive optimism about the outcome.

For whether you’re an atheist physicist or a fundamentalist Christian (NO, I don’t believe KK is a fundamentalist!)…

The assumption they’ve both come to share is the essential and universal nature of uncertainty…

For the physicist this is exemplified by Quantum mechanics and Schrodinger’s Cat…

For the Christian its the dilemma of Free Will and the prospect of Heaven or Hell.

While the universe may drive to Godhead… individuals, civilizations and planets most likely don’t make it. I’d suspect that any single planet’s evolutionary process has less chance of getting to Godhead… than an individual seed in the tomato on your sandwich has of becoming a tomato plant.

It really is about the decisions we make individually and collectively… And I”d suggest that the technologies of decision are being sorely neglected.

And naturally I’m going to add…

Money is a Decision Technology. I’d suggest that there’s as much or more utility in regarding it as a store of ‘decision rights’ as there is in regarding it as a store of ‘value’…

In a scaled civilization its ESSENTIAL to make transaction in very small amounts viable… especially in speech, opinion and decision related activity involving large numbers of people. I suppose its a bit over the top to suggest that its a pre-requisite for planetary survival… but maybe not. Because our planetary decision systems suck the big one right now.

Though I’m sure its worthy of some discussion.