Public Intellectual Part II: Technology and the Renaissance

In Part I of my series on the public intellectual, I talked about how public intellectuals are still thriving in our society thanks to democracy and religion. In this post, I will focus on how the internet has acted as a catalyst in the development of the public intellectual, as well as how the PI has been crucial in the development of such innovations .

Communicational innovations have been especially beneficial tools for the spread of public intellectuals, but more importantly, it has further enabled the effortless dissemination of their ideas. In turn, the PI's support and use of has been integral in the evolution of such creations. A striking resemblance can be made between Gutenberg's printing press and the current phenomenon of the internet.

The most glaring resemblance is the fact that both the printing press and the internet enabled sharing of information never before imagined. Similarly, both inventions caused massive effects outside of their original intention. Paradigms were not shifted - they were completely changed. James A. Dewar notes the many benefits of the printing press, noting,

“The printing press has been implicated in the Reformation, the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution, all of which had profound effects on their eras; similarly profound changes may already be underway in the information age.”

Dewar also draws a similarity between the press and networked computing, arguing, “The future of the information age will be dominated by unintended consequences” and “It will be decades before we see the full effects of the information age.” Certainly many consequences will go unforeseen(as they often do with inventions of such magnitudes), though a lengthy realization may not be as likely. Where 150 years ago, it could take months to reach someone across the country, people can now instantly interact on a global scale. And, of course, almost everyone has a computer.

These tools are byproducts coming from a need to learn more about our universe – that undying intellectual drive to know. In other words, these are inventions to help inventors. The underlying idea is information. By sharing and spreading information, people can know more, and more people can know more. We are living in an age where information is power - where the most informed and the most amount of informed people gain new relevances. It is the Information Age, and ubiquity is not a dream, but a very realistic goal.

Still, the internet's importance does not rely solely on the fact that the information is out there, but also the ease of access and dissemination on a personal level. To find virtually information on any topic, all one needs to know is what they are looking for and google's URL. Type in “the basics of quantum computing” and you'll get 170,000 results in 0.22 seconds – perhaps there may be a few intellectuals in that bunch.

If you happen to be looking for more narrowed results, or if you are such an intellectual that your esoteric criteria is too obscure, there is a plethora of places to look. Many sites offer unique and user-customizable search filtering. The multitude of scholarly sites typically post journals, articles, interviews, and other academic work of the highest caliber. Though some come at an expense, their availability is the crucial point.

Wikipedia has replaced the encyclopedia as a common store of knowledge and reference. Because of it's open source philosophy where the community submits and moderates content, accuracy is ensured to a percentile surpassing a printed encyclopedia and rivaling current online ones. The community of Public Intellectuals is out there, and they are very aware of each other. Wikipedia is not the only way that the current PI collaborates.

The blogosphere is the new global agora. A blog serves as a personal statement of identity, by sharing one's ideas with others in hopes of finding people with similar interests or relevant criticisms. Even the simplest of blogs can give insight to an outsider. The evolution has gone from the newspaper article to the blog address, only you don't have to be hired to write anymore. Furthermore, forums and discussion groups are even less formal, but just as common ways of sharing ideas, allowing users to post and comment on various topics.

The global aspect of the internet is truly unique. Never before have people been able to easily communicate regardless of location. Forget about the phone – email, instant messaging, video chat, and file sharing allow people to interact and share ideas instantly across various mediums. Teachers can teach classes with audio and visual tools, almost creating a completely virtual classroom environment. The fast transmission of information allows for quicker evolution of ideas. Physicist Paul Ginsparg said:

"The communication of research results occurs on a dramatically accelerated timescale... In addition, researchers who might not ordinarily communicate with one another can quickly set up a virtual meeting ground, and ultimately disband if things do not pan out, all with infinitely greater ease and flexibility than is provided by current publication media." Maybe telepathy isn't so far away...

It's about time for the first global renaissance. The internet and open source movement resemble the characteristic massive intellectual effort and rejuvenation of the arts that occurred in Italy around 400 years ago. People are getting smarter than ever, becoming experts in multiple areas. Intellectuals are hard to miss with so many people online. Countless coders and programmers have developed the open source movement, in hopes of most adequately refining man's greatest tool. The world's large network of computers has music and film are everywhere, as artists broaden their scope just by browsing online, and fans discover an exponentially larger selection than they are used to. And everything is done instantly! Just the idea of this type of sharing seems good a priori. If the net stays neutral, and all people are granted access, the scale of advancement mankind will achieve in the next 50 years alone will be unprecedented.

Paper Cut

Many technologies are expunged due to their inferiority to competitors, while others are merely upgraded to keep up with the demands of the times. Despite the multitude of technological developments we have achieved, we have yet to successfully make paper a thing of the past, or even upgrade it.

To some, the disappearance of paper is long overdue. The computer has already eclipsed the printing press in magnitude, though it has not deemed it obsolete. A paperless workplace has been a commonly shared vision by many green-geeks of late, though a paperless world is easily perceivable to the common person. In his book, 1984, George Orwell predicted it's disappearance:

"The pen was an archaic instrument, seldom used even for signatures...Apart from very short notices, it was usual to dictate everything into the speak-write...Actually, few people ever wrote letters." (Orwell - 1984)

Let us consider what can go:

Paper records are being replaced by databases and electronic data storage types. Traditional snail mail has already been eclipsed by email. Physical newspapers have lost popularity, as anyone can simultaneously view multiple news sites for free. Paper books are still popular, though products like amazon's kindle look to take them out. Paper currency seems unnecessary with credit cards, check cards, and ATMs. Who needs map when you've got navigation?Airline tickets are totally electronic now. Even toilet paper can go with TOTO's new toilet seat.

So what is paper still good for? Well, it seems it started out as a medium for storing information, as paper records. Then became a transfer medium, used to share information and ideas with other people.
As a storage medium, people should try to free themselves of the paper reliance, as “paper is expensive to create and store - and not very environmentally friendly.” (silicon.com)
Though it seems digital data warehouses are better in almost every conceivable aspect of the storage medium, there are some characteristics as a transfer medium that are not yet replaceable with other technologies. The ability to hand someone a business card, or to quickly make a sketch may be hard to replace. It’s part of human nature to “hold something in our hands” says Bonnie Alba

There are a few proposed upgrades to lessen the reliability on paper, including the digital pen, digital watermarks, and E-paper.


Regardless, there will always be some resistance to the eradication of paper. Aside from the notable job losses to people anywhere on the supply chain for any type of paper-related production, there are some forces that will ensure paper usage to a certain extent. The government requires paper records to prove eligibility for tax deductions should there be an audit, paper records are required to prove many things in court, and paper records are required for proof of insurance. Still, I can envision ways to surpass these standards, as well as the true possibility of a paperless world. The arguments of the luddites, purists, and paper nostalgics are constantly dwindling due to the increasing promise of new technologies and innovation.

Technology and Innovation: Is Nothing Sacred?

Perhaps the best measure of mankind's success and evolution is the advancements of tools and technology. The wheel, the printing press, and the airplane are all perfect examples of this progression. The latest in this series is the adolescent computer, still an enigma, with a great deal yet to be discovered and utilized. Still, along with these uncanny and exciting developments come potentially equally negative side-effects and consequences. Science and technology seem to hold the answers for the future, but people should not put all their trust in these areas alone because they don't hold all the answers. Ethics will play a crucial factor in the survival of the human race alongside the evolution of the computer. If people do not deeply consider the implications and driving forces of technological innovation, the human race could find itself obsolete - or even worse – extinct.

Ask any baby boomer for a “when i was your age” story and they will be able supply you with a book full of scenarios. To think that some people witnessed the invention of the television, the first steps on the moon, and the invention of the microchip all in one lifetime is an incredible notion. Nowadays some people find it impossible to imagine a life without computers. After all of that, one would think it impossible that the world could change more drastically than it has the past 50, or even 100 years. The computer alone holds this potential for change, and it has only begun to reshape the world.

Computer technology is everywhere now, penetrating almost all areas of life. The benefits and applications of these tools seem not only endless, but extremely possible. Perhaps the main reason for this phenomenon is what is referred to as Moore's Law. Stated by Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore in 1965, the law predicted that the number of transistors that can be placed on a circuit is increasing exponentially, doubling approximately every two years. History has confirmed the truth of Moore's Law thus-far, and if the trend continues, by 2040 personal computers will be as powerful as the human brain at the price of $1000.

blue collar robot

One of the most popular ideas of the future with respect to the computer and microchip is the area of robotics. Not only are robots being developed to automate human tasks, they are also being designed to emulate pets, humans, or other natural life-forms. Artificial Intelligence(AI) is becoming more and more of a reality. Still, reality always bites to some degree, meaning the dangers have yet to be realized or discussed. With these advancements in robotics and automation, human jobs are being taken over by computers and robots. Any labor intensive job could be replaced by a robot, and a robot would do a better job to boot. Whether the job is supermarket teller or assembly-line worker, a robot will one day be able to fill the role of a human. The automation phenomenon has already started to happen at fast food restaurants, gas stations, etc. In fact, the world has completely online banks like Etrade Financial, as well as computer companies like Dell with no retail stores. The only factor preventing the complete automation of all blue-collar jobs is the cost and availability. Marshall Brain predicts this reality:

“...you could buy a humanoid robot for about $10,000. That robot could clean bathrooms, take out trash, wipe down tables, mop floors, sweep parking lots, mow grass and so on. One robot (could) replace three six-hour-a-day employees. The owner (would) fire the three employees and in just four months the owner recover the cost of the robot.”

He fears this scenario could actually be playing out by 2055. Could it be that eventually a robot or a computer will be able to do any task better than a human? Even if one's job isn't replaced by some tech-advancement, new technology has enabled outsourcing to be another viable alternative to expensive human capital. An executive can hire real people from India, China, or another country for a programming job in the US, paying robot-like wages. Andrew Leonard sees these advancements penetrating not only the blue, but white-collar class as well:

“The great fear about offshoring is that it is poised to move up the value chain, replacing high-paid white-collar jobs in the developed world with cheaper foreign competition”3

Money and efficiency are obviously important drivers in innovation, but is their impetus too strong? Mankind must now closely reconsider their place in the world.

Science can now work at the most microscopic of levels in areas like genetics and nanotechnology. Recently, the first man-made synthetic genome was created. The first conceived uses of this include:

“custom-design organisms, essentially creating biological robots that can produce from scratch chemicals humans can use. Biofuels like ethanol, for example.”4

Still, this is only the beginning:

“Voigt estimated that a synthetic human genome -- which could be used in human cloning research -- could be created by 2014.”

Here, another scary reality surfaces. Genetic engineering is no longer a science fiction tale, it is happening now. A scientist named Samuel Wood has even successfully cloned himself with his own skin cells and a few natural embryos.5 To some, it seems that engineering humans is wrong, immoral, or unethical. Perhaps engineering a human only produces an organic robot, devoid of the randomness and imperfections of nature. Others see this as a step forward towards eliminating harmful diseases and other health problems. The feature film Gattaca concentrates on this very scenario. When Antonio and his wife go to have their next baby created, they are concerned about having too much control over the way their son will turn out before he is even born. The doctor assures them, saying,

“This child is still you, it is just the best of you. You could conceive naturally one thousand times and never achieve such a result.”6

Should we be able to control gender, hair color, negative addictive traits, and other aspects of human life? Most parents would love to ensure their children are free of alcoholism and heart disease. Still, this is very new territory and must be treaded cautiously, lest we make Frankenstein's mistake of creating a monster we cannot control.


Even if we don't genetically engineer people, the possibility of implanted chips and bionic limbs is another likely alternative. Who knows, our limbs and body parts may even one day be obsolete. If Moore's Law does hold true, the future will have a vast microcosm of mini-devices running simultaneously with everyday life, even inside of people. Processors, cameras, microphones, and almost any electronics will be smaller than the eye can see. Everything will contain some information as it is linked in to the system with everything else. Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) chips are the current incarnation of this idea. These inexpensive microscopic chips can be placed in anything, and can easily store and/or send information. In his article Perspective: RFID tags: Big Brother in small packages, Declan McCullagh writes:

“It becomes unnervingly easy to imagine a scenario where everything you buy that's more expensive than a Snickers will sport RFID tags”7

This will mean information and computers will be heavily embedded in everyday life. This intrusion at the cost of efficiency is something to be strongly considered before we go crossing the Rhine!
RFID tag implanted in a human hand

The high traffic flow of information will allow for exponential increases in productivity. Still, what of personal security and privacy? Well, with the modern age and new technological era, our old notions of privacy go out the window. Essentially, as a consumer or internet user, a person forgoes a great deal of personal information by default. McCullagh's vision:

“in the future, we could be tracked because we'll be wearing, eating and carrying objects that are carefully designed to do so. “

Data and user information already go for premiums to any business that wants to advertise. Eventually, companies will be able to custom tailor spam to suit individual tastes. All your habits, likes, and dislikes will be recorded and analyzed. Just imagine the type of information the government could attain with this sort of capability. It is feasible that all aspects of life will be capably monitored. This “Big Brother” fear comes straight out of Orwell. But let's not forget about the ever-growing problem of identity theft. With your personal information out there just flying around, who knows who will have access to it? It's possible some hacker from half way around the globe could drain your bank account in a matter of minutes. The one gleam of light is the balance between privacy and security – a supposed zero sum game. The lack of privacy will hopefully be counteracted by superfluously heavy security - but who knows – people are always vulnerable.




This quest for improvement has even more serious implications. Our environment is now in dire risk. E-waste(electronic waste) is a growing issue. The problem is that most electronics contain toxic chemicals such as barium, cadmium and mercury. Currently, a popular solution to the problem is to ship the waste to other countries, as Richard Koman explains:

“According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, 20 million pounds of e-waste was shipped to foreign ports last year from California, reports Sign on San Diego. And since the recycling industry is self-reporting, the amount of e-waste could be much higher.”8

Furthermore, companies like Intel and Apple produce a great deal of toxic waste, having failed most national standards.9 Despite Intel's initiative to run a cleaner shop by becoming the largest purchaser of green power in the US, this only mildly mitigates the problem. Legislation is not enacted against these companies because of their supposed importance to the economy and the unprecedented nature of the situation.


Even the most basic human interactions could be lost with this new technological age. The nature of communities and relationships are changing. There are so many ways of communicating indirectly, it seems like direct contact typically only comes when necessary. A person can instant message, email, or text someone depending on preference. Also, with the internet, people don't have to go out to get things – they can just order it from their desk and wait for it in the mail. As far as Dating and matchmaking goes - it can be done online. Why waste time taking different girls out on dates looking for your soul-mate if a web site can find her for you? Virtual and Global communities are now popular, but is it at the cost of traditional face to face interaction? The computer makes everything so easy, people barely need to go out. This could definitely lead to people being more sedentary and could possibly further feed America's growing obesity dilemma. There is even a new disorder classified as “technology addiction” or “technology overload”:

“Another research paper, published in 2007 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology by a psychiatrist at Tel Aviv University, recommended that Internet addiction be regarded as an extreme disorder on par with gambling, sex addiction and kleptomania.”10

Our dependence on technology can become a crutch, disabling from convetntional interaction. John O'Neill, the director of addictions services at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas confirms this:

"We can become overloaded by technology and suffer consequences in our relationships”

People must remember what is important, and maintain human contact before we lose touch.

The greatest danger innovation can bring is the unknown. The sword almost always cuts both ways, bringing new problems along with the solution. Any new invention comes with the risk of opening another Pandora's box. Albert Einstein is a perfect example. He said,

“I made one great mistake in my life... when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made,”

meaning that he did not foresee the scope of the negative effects the bomb would leave on the world. Like Einstein, many scientists and engineers get anxiety about new inventions, and the possibility of their misuse or failure. It is impossible to foresee all of the negative effects that will come with a new breakthrough, as there will always be a danger of unintended side-effects and unforeseen consequences. Murphy's Law classically states that all that can go wrong will go wrong. For this reason, we must use discretion, not necessarily pushing for a fully optimized and efficient world. Perhaps we should take a page from the Luddite's book, and destroy some of our own creations for the sake of our livelihood.



Technology is neither good or bad on its own – nothing is – until it gets into the hands of a human. People will always continue to innovate and discover new interesting things about our world, as it is only human nature to be curious. But, with all this talk of science, many other important aspects of life get pushed aside. Is there space for ethics, religion, metaphysics, and art in this new day and age? There ought to be, otherwise we face a rude awakening to a totally engineered world devoid of beauty and possibly humanity. We must always be aware of ourselves and the fact that there are more important things to the world than science. Jonah Lehrer stresses this socratic ideal saying,

“the sciences must recognize that their truths are not the only truths. No knowledge has a monopoly on knowledge.”