Jaron Lanier's book, You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto is the book all the others at the hands/maker conference in Dearborn were talking about. You can read an excerpt from the New York Times.What happens when WE cease to be the makers? When we have surrendered this essential human quality to machines engaged in self-replication and refinement? If you are reading Lanier, you might also want to read Martin Heideggar at the same time.
We either learn from technology, and learn to make it and thus manage it, or we hide within it from ourselves and the physical environmnent. Where do you think we are going? Lanier offers an interesting assessment.
There is an anime movie called "Ghost in the Shell" that is absolutely fascinating and examines what it means to be human vs. a sentient computer program...I encourage everyone to watch it whether they like anime or not. I think you would like it.
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