Technological Singularity A Grandiose Dream A Would Be Glorious Achievement For Its Proponents But An Idea Eliciting Second Thoughts From The Sceptic
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| Author | : Fritz Dufour, Linguist, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 6 |
| Release | : 2017-06-08 |
| Genre | : Computers |
| ISBN | : |
Technological singularity is a term that hasn’t sunk in yet. Ask the average person about it and you’ll likely get an answer that sounds like: “what’s that?”, “what do you mean?”. When I first heard the term, my first thought was: we will use just one technology for everything instead of a variety of them. I was far from thinking it’s will be something created by Mankind but that will spell the end of our own species. In other words, a self-inflicted wound. 2045 is an unrealistic date when we consider the implications of technological singularity. The information revolution started during World War II. In roughly 75 years, since the advent of Intranet of the US Department of Defense, the first computers (Colossus in Britain and ENIAC in the United States), and later the Internet followed by the democratization of personal computers, smartphones and other connected devices, our lifestyle has drastically changed. Overly optimistic scholars and visionaries have gone so far as to predict a potential takeover of the planet by homegrown machines. That idea or suggestion, although in line with current trends in technological advances, is flawed. It’s a big dream, a grandiose dream, and there is nothing wrong with dreaming big. But the end results of technological singularity, if the latter ever materializes, wouldn’t even qualify to be labeled a technological revolution, when compared to the agricultural, the writing, the printing, the industrial, and the information revolutions. Why is that?
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS |
| Total Pages | : 146 |
| Release | : 2018-03-16 |
| Genre | : Philosophy |
| ISBN | : |
This book is the first of a series that considers the many aspects of reality. I call it ‘It all starts from within’ because reality starts with each of us individually and independently. It starts from our inner self before evolving into what I would call the collective reality, meaning a generally agreed upon state in which groups of people, entire nations, or the whole world believe. That reality includes beliefs, cultures, ideologies, etc. As we change and adapt to our environment, our reality changes as well. New realities emerge… Chapter one is about perception and our senses. It demonstrates how perception is impossible without our senses. Whatever angle of reality that’s being analyzed, one or more of our senses plays a momentous role in its understanding… Chapter two considers the role of the brain in the making of reality. It delves into how the brain can make the mind behave a certain way under certain circumstances… Chapter three looks at the mind, which I call the ultimate maker of reality. This chapter describes the mind as that intangible component of the brain and where reality or all realities stem from after, of course, being picked up by the senses and the brain… Chapter four attempts to define reality itself after it’s perceived by our senses, analyzed by our brain, and processed by our mind…I consider five questions in my attempt to answer the question: what is reality? They are: what are things and why do they look different from one another? What is life and its origins? What is death? What is superstition? What is space and are we alone in the universe?
| Author | : Fritz Dufour |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 433 |
| Release | : 2021-02-27 |
| Genre | : Literary Criticism |
| ISBN | : |
The Gilded Age: a Tale of Today is a depiction of those crimes committed in the United States in the late 19th Century which so frequently went unpunished and of the casualties which ought to be called crimes. The description severely winds up with the satirical verdict “No one to blame.” The project of Colonel Sellers for raising mules for the Southern markets is a satire upon the fraudulency and soap-bubble speculation of capitalists. The work is full of hints and descriptions that take their rise from the frauds and outrages under which the country had plagued for so many years. Family, social and national questions are all cleverly satirized. The monument erected to the memory of the Father of his country – a monument begun, but, of course, never completed – calls forth some strokes of bitter but not unjust humor. The means by which preferment is obtained in Washington are amply satirized. There are two views of this book: favorable and unfavorable. This essay considers both. For instance, while some critics think that it is incoherent, others suggests that the narrative departs from the traditional methods of concluding and is thereby more natural than most novels because every chapter of the book bears the marks of both writers and is therefore a novelty in its way. In this essay I argue that The Gilded Age is essentially a satire and should always be accepted as such. Of course, other good contemporary books did not make it to our time in terms of popularity and legacy. The Gilded Age did. We talk, write, and read about it to this day. Evidently, it is an integral part of the annals of American literature and fully contributes to Mark Twain’s reputation, legacy, and lasting influence.
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 223 |
| Release | : 2019-08-28 |
| Genre | : Science |
| ISBN | : |
The main theme of this book is the impacts of speed and time optimization on reality, or more precisely on our modern society. But first, it sets the background by exploring the physics behind the concepts of speed and time, how they came about, how we became aware of them, and how did the new world of speed emerge, and why does it seem to be inescapable? It explores the speed of light and the speed of sound by linking them to our environment. It introduces the notion of Arrow of time or entropy, which grows from the past to the present, is expected to keep growing in the future, and hypothesizes that this is perhaps why our craving for speed and time optimization is here to stay with no end in sight. An important point discussed is that because of memories and experiences, people may choose to live either in the past, present, or future, which leads to the notions of presentism and eternalism. The book argues that while for presentists only the present is real, for eternalists both the past, present, and future are equally real. The book makes the case about speed and time optimization as a legacy of modernity by laying out the differences between modernism, modernization, and modernity itself. It shows how modernity is all about the now or the present, rather than the past and, how, as such, it’s all about the new. So then, the changes that are now happening in our modern world can be traced back to a segment of history that dates back to the beginning of modernity, that is, which began with the Protestant Reformation and, is now rapidly approaching closure in the world of today’s extreme finance. It argues about the technological implications of speed and time in the 21st century. It shows how technology has become an integral part of human existence and that it is inconceivable one can even think of escaping it. This Part III of the series shows the link between high-speed trading and faster connectivity and faster computers. It shows how, thanks to the Internet, information became freely accessible and is spreading faster and faster. It shows how supercomputers not only allow people to address the biggest and most complex problems, they also allow people to solve problems faster, even those that could fit on servers or clusters of PCs. This rapid time to solution is critical in some aspects of emergency preparedness and national defense, where the solutions produced are only valuable if they can be acted on in a timely manner. Finally, the social and psychological implications of speed and time in the 21st century are also addressed by considering the upside and the downside of moving fast, meaning leading a fast-paced life. The argument presented in the book is based on the analysis and the importance of stress in our daily lives and also explains the notion of chronobiology. Our biological clocks drive our circadian rhythms. An interesting point is that blind people may not perceive time the same way as the non-blind. Furthermore, the book shows how we perceive time differently as we age compared to when we were young. It also makes the case for the perception of time in dreams and in real life. Speed and time optimization may be deceiving, according to this Part III of the series. This can be proven by questions such as, (1) Is going over the speed limit really worth it? and (2) Is the saying “Slow down to go faster” a paradox?
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, Linguist, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 23 |
| Release | : |
| Genre | : Psychology |
| ISBN | : |
This is a look into the different parameters that make a human being unique and that prove there has never been someone like you before you were born and that there will never be someone like you after you leave this world. The article considers human uniqueness on two levels: Biology and Environment, which, when combined, make each of us a unique being among the more than 7 billion who currently live on the planet. From fertilization to somatic death, we are all different. The article shows the balance between biology and the forces of our environment such as culture, government, faith, and technology. This article also considers the future of human uniqueness based on technological progress.
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 249 |
| Release | : 2018-09-19 |
| Genre | : Science |
| ISBN | : |
This Volume 1 of Part II considers the factors that make science progress. It lays out the differences between normal science and pseudoscience by showing the importance of the scientific method in the advancement of science. It introduces the concept of Truth in science by raising the point that even though truth is based on the scientific method, can science be true? Can it depict reality? The author focuses on modern science, which, he thinks, was born thanks to the Scientific Revolution which started with Galileo Galilei and led to the Industrial Revolution. The impacts of the latter is analyzed in light modernism, modernization, and modernity, all three linked to scientific progress. The book also talks about the Newtonian scientific leap – by analyzing particularly the then social and political fabrics of England – and Albert Einstein by showing how he changed history. According to the author, our very physical world can help us understand scientific progress. So, he explains, among other things, the structure of atoms and molecules, the role of physics in the understanding of our universe, Quantum Mechanics, and the importance of Higgs-Boson. On the other hand, the book is a stunning revelation of how important information is to scientific progress. To make his point, the author, first, talks about John Vincent Atanasoff as the Father of computer thanks to the invention of his ABC computer and then, Alan Turing as the Father of modern computer thanks to his Turing Test and his views on Artificial Intelligence. Both men played a momentous role in the Digital Revolution and in the Information Age, according to the book. Finally, the author talks about nanotechnology, which explores the world of small, meaning at the atomic and the molecular levels and is an inescapable tool in the molecular biology revolution which, itself, is an important factor in scientific progress and in transhumanism or human enhancement defined as the ideology according to which man can surpass his present state by improving his genetic material.
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 23 |
| Release | : 2017-12-19 |
| Genre | : Medical |
| ISBN | : |
The preliminary idea behind translational medicine, conducting biological research to treat diseases, is not a new concept. But, scientists have been serious about placing the patient at all levels of the research process – right at the basic science level phase and all the way to the bedside – since only the 1990s. Today, translational research is a scientific field, although multidisciplinary. That innovation stemmed from the discoveries of new diseases and new technologies that allow healthcare professionals to have new perspectives on how to better and more efficiently treat patients. Translational medicine is viable, and it has already proved itself in many areas. Normally, every great discovery or innovation comes with both rewards and challenges, and continuous improvement is what keeps it alive. Translational research, an innovative concept, is not impervious to that rule. This paper examines the antecedents of translational medicine and how it came about. It considers the importance of incorporating basic science, applied science or clinical research, and the patient at every turn of the processes by analyzing the importance of translational research and its direct applications. On the other hand, this paper considers the challenges faced by translational medicine in an age where healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and suggests what can be done to circumvent the downsides. Finally, because the field is relatively new and promising, the discussion that follows also considers the outlook for translational medicine, and how important it is for scientists – artificial intelligence experts, computer, or bioengineers, healthcare professionals and healthcare management professionals – to lay right now the groundwork for future generations.
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, Linguist, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 236 |
| Release | : 2017-11-09 |
| Genre | : Language Arts & Disciplines |
| ISBN | : |
This book is a look into the possibilities for the emergence of a single and universal native language by taking into consideration the common denominator that characterizes all spoken languages: sounds. This book describes the acquisition of language in terms of speech, its use, and its development or evolution. The hypothesis of a monolingual world is supported by strong arguments, facts, and theories. This is both a descriptive and a prescriptive approach in the sens that not only Mr. Dufour portrays the current linguistic status quo as it is, but also, he prescribes a way to go about making our planet monolingual through a detailed awareness campaign plan and practical views likely to help us achieve that goal if followed properly. His approach is a novel one and is commendable. This is a reference book, definitely one to read, whether you're a linguist or not.
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, Linguist, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour |
| Total Pages | : 27 |
| Release | : 2017-12-04 |
| Genre | : Political Science |
| ISBN | : |
This article is an argument against the US electoral college as a concept. It looks at the policies and failures of the five electoral college-elected presidents – three of them in the 19th century and the other two in the 21st century. It explores the electoral college’s modus operandi and its hindrance to American democracy to deduct its irrelevance. Mr. Dufour looks at people’s expectations from democracy in the 21st century as well as the meaning of American democracy, which is linked to the American dream to infer the polite fiction nature of the electoral college. The merit of the article lies within the facts it explores and considers as irrefutable evidence against any kind of compatibility between the electoral college and progressivism.
| Author | : Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS |
| Publisher | : Fritz Dufour, MBA, DESS |
| Total Pages | : 223 |
| Release | : 2018-06-03 |
| Genre | : Business & Economics |
| ISBN | : |
This book is an in-depth analysis of the dynamics of energy in the 21st century. It looks at the risks presented by non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels by giving a special consideration to their single most implication: climate change and by considering some fundamental yet important aspects of energy such as its forms, conservation, measure, and distribution. In it, Fritz Dufour also dives deep into the economics of energy by analyzing important concepts such as energy efficiency and the behavioral gap, energy security and its quantification, and the costs and policies of energy programs. Each type of energy – from the non-renewable category of energies (coal, petroleum, and natural gaz) – to the renewable category of energies (solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and geothermal energies) – is analyzed in terms of its discovery, extraction, storage, distribution, use, and pros and cons. A strong argument is presented in favor of being proactive by prioritizing energy-efficient technologies in order to fortify the bleak future of energy, as the world’s population is set to double by the end of the century and as each energy source has its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the book stresses the dilemma that we face: no known single renewable source of energy can yet make up for or effectively replace the fossil fuels that have been making our world turn and upon which every single human being is directly or indirectly dependent.
