Ray Kurzweil
Futurist Ray Kurzweil presents his theory of singularity and its impact on the future. His main idea is that by the year 2029 we will have technologies so powerful, we will have human like robots. These technologies will be able to simulate human behavior and will only help us to understand our brains more. Ray gives us examples of how technology has increased from 1800 when the average life expectancy was 27 to 1900 when the average life expectancy was 48. Other examples are of how much we already understand about our brain. We can determine through scans which part of our brains are active during different processes or activities.
I agree with Ray Kurzweil. When thinking about what types of technology was available when I was a kid, compared to now, I am truly amazed and I am only talking about a 15 year span. Technologies like iPhones that can understand random requests to tablets that are very thin and can allow access to all information within seconds. When thinking about the future, I like to think it will be like the movie idiocracy. If you are unfamiliar, it is about a man and woman who teleport to the year 3000 and are the smartest people on earth because of technologies. The technology is so powerful that people no longer need to learn anything because they are already taken care of by robots, machines, and computers.
Stephen Wolfram
Stephen Wolfram explains how random and how simple things are. An example he gives is how larger objects are created by smaller objects. Wolfram uses computer technology to show that even the longest and confusing algorithms are created from a smaller source. Wolfram says that we can plug information in a small scale to make it add up to something larger and complex. An idea of this can be found in graphing. You can plot a random number of points on a grid, and when you connect them they can be something grand and complex.
The Time Machine
This short film presents the idea that time travel is possible through the bending of light. It is explained that light is effective at bending light and time through the use of lasers to create a twist in space and time. Through these cylinders of lasers, particles can start to appear out of nowhere, which can actually be from the future. The concept is that these particles cannot appear without the machine. The only possible reality of time travel would be from the creation of this device, when it is turned on to the current time. For example, if this machine was created this year, we would only be able to send things back to this year. Only from the first moment the machine is activated.
This machine could be very useful to us. If it works as planned, we can learn many things from our future. Although we cannot travel to the past, our future selves can send information back to us and warn us to teach us about important future events. I think that it’s also a interesting concept, because we would be changing the future by acting on that information.
Alan Turing was called upon during the Second World War. Nazi Germany had created an encrypted code to guide their armies. Devoting a task force to crack the codes, the fate of the war depended on the British. This is where Alan Turing comes in, he created a different method of computing to crack the code. The Bombe Machine, which simulated the Encryption machine, “The Enigma” was created by Turing to help crack the codes. The Bombe Machine allowed the machine to cut down on the time of searching settings. This machine allowed an increased power of searching, and helped crack the codes.
Alan Turing understood that computers can absorb large amounts of information. He was an interesting man and I am impressed at how he constantly challenged himself. The Turing Test, where a human and a computer as placed in separate rooms while chatting with each other is fascinating. If the human believes they are communicating with another human and not a computer, a computer has gained artificial intelligence. I think internet bots like CleverBot are examples of artificial intelligence; you can have real conversations with it, and be convinced it is a human.
Gumby Land
Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby, explains how he was going through a rough patch in his life. During this time, he visited India, to go on a spiritual journey. While in India, he met with Sathya Sai Baba, who produced a sacred ash, and blessed Gumby as the reincarnation spiritual love. After this was done, a small shrine was produced for Gumby, which many people performed prayers to because they felt a special power was created that helped them.
The idea of a shrine being created to Gumby is interesting. Although I may not agree with it, I respect those who choose to worship Gumby. It seems that many times, people look for icons or symbols to believe in because it makes them feel better. As long as people are respectful of one another, I choose to agree with Wolfgang Paul's famous witticism, "Not only is it not right, it’s not even wrong
The Perfect Coke
This video is one of my favorites so far, it starts off with the author reminiscing the times of his mother's bad cooking. Lane’s great moments took place when ever his mother didn’t cook because it meant that he would receive a coke along with pizza or a burger. The coke I'm guessing is one of Lane's favorite drinks. The coke beverage apparently comes in many different forms and with these many forms affects the taste.
The coke needs to be chilled, certain amount of sweetness and carbonation. According to the video things such as how a coke is stored, whether in a can, a glass, or filtered affects the taste. The drink is at its best when it is served with a food item that is salty, spicy, and dry. At last the perfect coke was found when Lane and his brother walked in to a store similar to COSCO and where served to them, described as the PERFECT COKE. I however believe the real reason the coke tasted so great was the fact that they had been dying of thirst for a long time and the cold bubbly beverage quenched their dyeing thirst.
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