As we watch a former major city of the United States receding into the anarchic and medieval past, Glenn Reynolds has an interesting interview with Ray Kurzweil about the future.

I should have commented on this when it was at the top... but was busy.

I've alwasy been a fan of Kurzweil- even if I don't always agree with what he has to say.

For example, I've never seen him adequately address what happens when a machine becomes so intelligent that it begins to make honest mistakes.... or perhaps not so honest mistakes. When it develops a sense of humor... suppose it has a different idea than most people of what is funny?
(Shades of Heinlein's THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS)

What he says toward the end... about 'we need to make science cool again' is going to be a tough battle. Science was certainly cool when I was a kid and the space program was just beginning.... but somewhere in the late '70's it dropped out of favor- yuppies got the limelight- and MBA's became much more popular than PhD's.
Never mind that the richest man in the country happened to have gotten there due to technology... it's recognised that Gates and the nouveau rich dot commers were a few exceptions.
I live in an area of Florida where wealth is EVERYTHING... inherited or white collar money is respected more than any other.... even medical doctors are looked down on a little because they have to work with their hands... and TOUCH people.
Whenever I'm at some social function and the 'what do you do?' comes up.... when I mention any aspect of science or technology I get a look like I just confessed to being a janitor or a garbage man---- and it occurs to me that most janitors and garbage men are unionized and doing a LOT better than I am.