Third Millennium Problem Solving

Google Tech Talks October 17, 2006 David Brin Sheldon Brown ABSTRACT Western Civilization famously changed everything with innovations like market economics, democracy, education and science -- methods that empowered millions to compete, cooperate and invent as never before. Only, accelerating change also means that we must now adapt faster than ever, just to stay even. Some believe this will happen naturally. Flattened hierarchies will empower knowledgeable citizens to converge quickly and attack problems, with greater agility than 20th Century governments and corporations did. A dawning era of "smart mobs." Perhaps the Era of Professionalization will be replaced by an Age of Amateurs. But is...