Visions By Michio Kaku

Michio Kaku, a scientist examines the future in his book Visions. Kaku proposed scientists are more accurate predictors of the future due to their knowledge of scientific laws. He also states scientists are creators of the technology that will make up the future while others, such as writers and sociologist, are consumers of such technology (pg 5). The significance of this work is contained in the hope of determining the direction of our society accurately by applying scientific laws and revolutions already being used. By using the fundamental laws scientist have already uncovered such as the quantum theory of matter, Einstein’s theory of space time, the Big Bang theory of cosmology, the Darwinian theory of evolution and the molecular basis of DNA and life (pg 9), science will expand from great ideas of nature to a level of understanding and mastering nature.

Kaku, a physicist himself, also worked with more than 150 other scientists to insure integrity into his work Visions. Working from the known to the unknown one can easily follow and analyze Kaku’s logic. First, focusing the three pillars of modern science, matter, life, and the mind, the author states other great scientific rev

If we are to ever have a true Magic Mirror then we must first invent a machine that is able to communicate with common sense. There are two approaches for this artificial intelligence: the “top-down” approach and the “bottoms-up” approach (pg 73,74).

The top-down approach is just the opposite of the way a child would learn. The founders of the top-down approach “have spent a lifetime programming mammoth computers to model human intelligence” (74).

The bottom-up approach is leading the way at the moment with working “brains” (pg 88). According to scientist around the year 2045 the bottoms-up and the top-down approaches will come together,” giving us the best of both worlds” (pg 98). We could possibly see consciousness and self-awareness.

The ubiquitous computing of the future is expected to hold “marketable computer devices called tabs, pads, and boards, which are roughly an inch, a foot, and a yard in size.”(pg 32). This will be included in the office of the future. Tabs will carry infrared transmitters and have the power of a PC. Foot size pads will be used as a scratch piece of paper, and boards will function as computer screens.

Another issue discussed is ways in which the wealth of a nation will be determined. Up to this point in time, wealth has been determined by natural resources. Countries that do not contain the resources society deems valuable were not able to collect great wealth. A new commodity, technology, may now determine the wealth and power. A list compiled in 1990 by Japan’s Minister of International Trade and Industry includes: microelectronics, biotechnology, new material science industries, telecommunications, civilian aircraft manufacturing, machine tools and robots, and computers (hardware and software) (pg 13) as resources needed to insure wealth and power in the next century. It is pointed out that the entire list includes development derived from the quantum, computer, and DNA revolutions (pg 13). A country that has not been able to accumulate wealth and power in the past may obtain both in the future by relying on the human resources found through the ways humans utilize technology.

In 1944 Schrodinger explained to the world a molecule with a cell contained a “genetic code” (pg 9).

Some topics in this essay:
Visions Kaku, Silicon Age, Magic Mirror, Trade Industry, Gordon Moore, Virtual Reality, Computers Macintosh, Type III, PC Foot, Michio Kaku, computer power, 2020 2050, computer revolution, type ii, quantum theory, revolution biomolecular revolution, ubiquitous computing, type iii, wealth power, revolution biomolecular, biomolecular revolution, computer revolution biomolecular, computer power dna, power dna sequencing, 2020 2050 2050,