tion we comment, âI have barely learned how to operate this gadget, and there is al- ... we can receive instant news (good, bad, irrelevant, nasty); we are able to ...
RETROSPECTROSCOPE
Technological Acceleration: A Few Musings
reach—often restricted, by and large, to a relatively small minority. The technological side, usually associated with the scientific core, appears to exhibit a much faster development. Patents flourish, new equipA short break to think over: To be free or not to be free? ment is designed, but, not infrequently, the new model has only a few novel features By Max E. Valentinuzzi that barely qualify it as significant progress in that specific technology. By means of better and more powerful technologies, with global communications, geographical region—so much so that the we can receive instant news (good, bad, fter five years of “Retrospectroscope” term “global” seems inappropriate). Milirrelevant, nasty); we are able to travel (if columns (since January 2011) coverlions of people use this technology, often we have at hand the required money); we ing subjects more or less related to requiring it to work productively. But it is dream, not unfoundedly, of visiting other biomedical engineering—always from a also often applied to silly planets or other galaxhistorical perspective, but also bringing a activities and to other ies—if not ourselves, few recent viewpoints and even the hint The part that is less non-sancta objectives. In then at least our descenof a future gaze—we have decided to stop certain resides in its all cases, however, it leads dants. And so we experibriefly to look at the enormous technologisocietal reach—often to a kind of techno addicence a sweet sensation of cal acceleration currently underway. Is this, tion. Oh, the day that, for freedom—in stark conmaybe, rooted in a human feeling of inner restricted, by and large, some reason, our Intertrast to the “poor guy,” loneliness, even an attempt to run away? to a relatively small net connection fails! Have who essentially stays Scientists have recently reported the minority. you ever experienced home all his (or her) life. presence of water on Mars, renewing the the effects of Internet The big philosophical hope that life exists on that planet and withdrawal? question stands handsimultaneously offering a still-distant—but In a previous column, we recalled with somely in front of us: What is freedom? Or, closer—dream for a place to be free (or persadness the practical disappearance of handwhat is being free? haps freer?). At the same time, social and written letters, as well as those precious demographic pressures come from many notes scribbled, sometimes hurriedly, by Max E. Valentinuzzi (maxvalentinuzzi@ directions with many causes—deep ecomany of those who shaped world history [1]. arnet.com.ar) is a professor emeritus at the nomic and educational gaps, places lacking Another column described the compression National University of Tucumán and an invesessential services, diseases, malnutrition, effect clearly seen in the progress of knowltigator emeritus at the National Scientific and drug addiction, unemployment, racial and edge, even with increasing acceleration [2]. Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buereligious intolerance…what else? Sometimes, during our everyday conversanos Aires, Argentina. This, unfortunately, is the reality for tion we comment, “I have barely learned much of the world’s population. In the how to operate this gadget, and there is almeantime, another portion of society— References ready a new model replacing it!” Is there no those in the minority, really—enjoy luxu[1] M. E. Valentinuzzi, “Manuscript letters limit to this race? How beneficial are such rious lives, sometimes producing nothing, … Are they forever past?” IEEE Pulse, effects? Are there unwanted side effects? Or, even like leeches that suck the blood from vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 48–51, 2013. perhaps, are huge economic profits pushing the other side. Within this sad picture, [2] P. D. Arini, J. Bianchi, and M. E. Valenthis phenomenon beyond a sensible line? global technology invades only selectively tinuzzi, “Scientific discoveries and techThe phenomenon is no doubt scientific, (for it does not reach everybody in every nological inventions: Their relativistic too, producing new information in all discihistory effect,” IEEE Pulse, vol. 5, no. 4, plines with obvious positive advances; the pp. 64–68, 2014. Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPUL.2015.2487838 part that is less certain resides in its societal Date of publication: 16 November 2015
A
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 ▼ ieee pulse 39
