Long-Term Thinking with Technologies: A Panel Featuring George Dyson

Panelists: George Dyson, Barbara Bordalejo (English, U. of Saskatchewan), Alexandrine Boudreault-Fournier (Anthropology), Jeffrey Foss (Philosophy), David Leach (Writing), Jentery Sayers (English), and Victoria Wyatt (History in Art)

In our so-called digital age, engagements with technologies are typically associated with speed, immediacy, and convenience: music and television on demand, messages written on the fly, and search results at our fingertips. But how do we think about technologies and new media in the long term? Where will our data and mobile devices be in, say, one hundred years? How will social networks and search engines shape history? What might be some of the economic, educational, and environmental effects of the cloud? And how do we design and make things for conditions that do not yet exist? With these questions and others in mind, this event brings together a group of scholars (including famed science historian, George Dyson) to explore the critical nature of speculation and long-term thinking in our current moment.

Panelists will begin the discussion with a series of brief remarks. The conversation will then be open for commentary and questions from the audience.

Poster: http://maker.uvic.ca/long.pdf

Questions? Email Jentery Sayers at jentery@uvic.ca

Admission is free. Seating is limited so arrive early to avoid disappointment.