I often find myself thinking about the definition of 'technology'. I tend to believe it is as hard an abstract to define as 'life' is. John Gray said it better than I:
"Cities are no more artificial than Bee-hives. The internet is as natural as a spider's web...
...We ourselves are technological devices, invented by ancient bacterial communities as means of genetic survival - we are part of an intricate network that comes from the original takeover of the Earth. Our power and intelligence do not belong specifically to us, but to all life..." - Straw Dogs
When our technology becomes as indistinguishable from its surroundings as bacteria is, then we'll have reached perhaps the most significant tipping point since 'life' first emerged.
I doubt it will be we who'll be around to make that judgement though. By that stage, it will be our technology which finds itself doing the judging.
Great post.
I often find myself thinking about the definition of 'technology'. I tend to believe it is as hard an abstract to define as 'life' is. John Gray said it better than I:
When our technology becomes as indistinguishable from its surroundings as bacteria is, then we'll have reached perhaps the most significant tipping point since 'life' first emerged.
I doubt it will be we who'll be around to make that judgement though. By that stage, it will be our technology which finds itself doing the judging.