The term covers a lot of ground. At one end there are those who explore possible futures like tourists explore foreign countries. Science Fiction writers are the landscape painters of these future vistas, sharing their visions with others for entertainment and enlightenment. At the other end of the spectrum are the visionaries: those focused on futures that free humankind from the problems and limitations of the present. Among this group are those sometimes referred to as Agents of Change, who not only envision these futures but dedicate themselves to bringing them about.
This site is about exploring the issues and opportunities being raised by new technologies but while technologies advance rapidly, human nature is a relative constant. (That is assuming we don’t all embrace Transhumanism and turn into something incomprehensible. I hope not because we are only just beginning to understand the design nature gave us!)
The great thing about science fiction, at least the best of it, is not just imaging cool technology as in “I wish I had a flying car like that!” but in showing how humans might behave in scenarios that don’t currently exist in our time and place in history.
So, we can’t really speculate about the future just by speculating about technology. The study of the future is also the study of human beings.
Thanks for stopping by!
Bryant Cruse
