RE: How hope for humanity can be found in Moore's Law
Interesting notion, and one I agree with. Even if you don't look at data, statistics and all the other mumbo jumbo, one may divine a steady climb in technological advancements in every field just by shorthand glance.
However, one thing I believe must be taken into account is human need and desire. We create new technologies, new advancements and new solutions because human beings need and want that which is better than they already have. Dad often mentions about how the first hard drives were about the size of a very large plate, but which were only capable of storing ten megabytes worth of data. Fast forward to today, and you have SSDs that are barely about the length of one's hand without any easily-damaged moving parts in them, but which can store up to four terrabytes worth of data with relative ease, and can start up in a fraction of the time the humble hard drive would take.
This was fueled purely by need and desire (for more digital space), and because of the consumerism element of trade in today's world, the most cutting edge tech is often only the privilege of the extremely wealthy (or at least those averagely well to do), and such advancements only become more freely available to the tiers of society below once they start to look more outdated compared to their newer counterparts. Still a privilege, but also kinda depressing at times lol.
So yeah, I'd say the drivetrain behind Moore's law is directly connected to the increase in human numbers in recent decades, and the ever present need humankind has; to want what they do not already have.
Guess it's as much of a boon as it can prove a curse at times, eh? :P
Anyway, cool post, and thanks for sharing it :)
Cheers :D
After reading your reply, I had a phrase bouncing around in my mind, but could not articulate it (on the tip of my tongue). So I perused your blog thinking it would come to me and it did.
We need to move beyond Moore's Law and apply whole cost accounting to Moore's Law. We need to get better at producing what we want without destroying our environment. So then we'd need to look at the cost of what we build to our environment and build that into the price of the product. I'm sure this is happening to some degree, but it will take a few generations to really get this sorted out.
With advances in whole cost accounting applied to our way of life, we can better sustain the environment and enjoy some prosperity.
Ah, glad to know that old machine helped, I'll take that as a compliment :)
I really should write that next article sometime soon...
Well, if there's one thing we can count on, humanity will find its refinement in itself and in its practices eventually. It's always been a case of trial-and-error in our self-discovery. What we are witnessing now is simply another milestone in said discovery. Like you said, it'll take a couple decades, maybe even a century or two, but we'll get there. There are those among us who would make sure of that.
Agreed. Just need to put ourselves into enough of a position of power to twist the arms of the magnate industrialists and politicians and get them to toe the line as well first. You know they'd rather keep things the way they are right now, with their crown jewel Scarcity sitting plush atop the production lines.