The Null Device

Any technology indistinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.

Any technology indistinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced, an essay putting Arthur C. Clarke's famous dictum on its head.

But I submit that if the best we can do is make technology as dangerous, non-robust, capricious, arcane, alienating, marginal, and costly as "magic" -- then we have really crappy technology.

The author, Vanessa Layne, has also written an interesting essay on why creativity flourishes in urban centres rather than small towns, looking at economic and anthropological arguments. (via Charlie's Diary)

There are 1 comments on "Any technology indistinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.":

Posted by: kenny
http://
Thu Dec 5 22:44:30 2002

here's sort of a related article to the latter essay: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0205.florida.html

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