Powerful tools

The neuroscience book I’m currently reading, “Connectome,” makes an interesting point about scientific discovery. Technology is just as much a driver of discovery as the scientists themselves. Without microscopes, telescopes, MRIs etc. none of the discoveries about the brain (and others areas of scientific study) we’ve made would have been possible.

That speaks to, I think, a bias build into the human species. We become fixated on the people making the discoveries but not the devices. You see this in politics too. We get fixated on Anthony Weiner and his downfall but don’t seem that aware of the sea changing effects on society that technology is poised to bring.

The one theme I’ve been thinking about very the past several months is that technology is going to disrupted our lives more and more from now on. And to fixate on people – to expect politicians or scientists or entrepreneurs to slow or stall that disruption (to “save us”) – is a mistake.

We are doomed.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *