Future Rising: A Journey from the Past to the Edge of Tomorrow

by Andrew Maynard, Cady Coleman (Foreword by)

Overview

A scientist offers compelling visions and potential pitfalls of the future—in “a journey through time, space, and the human experience” (Dr. Tanya Harrison, coauthor of For All Humankind).

Humanity has gained the ability not only to imagine the future, but to design and engineer it. At times entertaining, and at others profound, Future Rising provides an original perspective on our relationship with the future.

As a species, we’ve become talented architects of our future—yet we often struggle to come to terms with what this means. As innovation and rapidly shifting norms and expectations drive our world at breakneck speed, we sometimes need to find a still, quiet place to pause and think. Future Rising creates such a place, where we can take advantage of our species’ knowledge of world history and the importance of science to piece together a positive future.

To create a good future, we must rediscover the past. Our relationship with the future is inextricably intertwined with where we’ve come from, who we are, and what we aspire to. Future Rising starts at the beginning of all things with the Big Bang and traces a pathway along the emergence of intelligent life, through what makes humans uniquely capable of imagining and creating different futures. In a series of sixty short reflections, Andrew Maynard, a former physicist and nationally recognized expert in technology and society, will take you on a journey into:

• What “the future” actually is
• How it molds and guides our lives
• How we can use the history of the world to change our future

“A thoughtful and thought-provoking response to the moment we’re in, chronicling how we got here, where we’re going, and what role we have in that journey.” —Ramona Pringle, Director of Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor, Ryerson University

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781642502640
Publisher:	Mango Media
Publication date:	07/22/2022
Series:	Analyzing the Future
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	179
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Andrew Maynard, a former physicist, is a leading expert in the responsible development of emerging and converging technologies. Over the past twenty years, he has worked closely with experts from around the world on the challenges and opportunities presented by various technologies, ranging from nanotechnology and synthetic biology to artificial intelligence.

In addition to his impressive list of academic publications, Andrew writes for media platforms such as The Conversation, maintains a blog on technology and society called 2020 Science, produces the YouTube channel Risk Bites, and is active on Twitter @2020science. Andrew also regularly appears on radio and is a sought-out speaker on emerging and converging technologies.

Andrew is currently a professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University, and Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Lab. He is a leading expert on the risks and benefits of nanotechnology, and he has testified before congressional committees and served on National Academy of Sciences committees. He is actively involved with the World Economic Forum and previously chaired the Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies. Andrew has a PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge, UK.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Maynard has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking response to the moment we’re in, chronicling how we got here, where we’re going, and what role we have in that journey forward. Written in an engaging and accessible style, Maynard explores topics ranging from art and creativity to memory, intelligence and potential threats ahead in a series of short essays. This book could easily be enjoyed in short bursts, but more likely, readers won’t be able to put it down once they start." —Ramona Pringle, Director of Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor, Ryerson University

"A deeply researched book that will make you question the morality of technology, and how science has shaped the world today. Maynard’s incisive take on cutting edge problems make this a rewarding experience for anyone questioning what the future will look like". —Zara Stone, journalist and author of The Future of Science is Female.

"Humans have a unique ability to create technologies that profoundly impact our bodies and environment. As the power technology affords us grows, it’s important to understand how we got to this point, and our responsibilities to the future. Andrew Maynard, a tech geek with a big heart, takes you on a journey from the big bang to the present. He implores the reader to understand our relationship to technology and plan ahead so that when the future rises to meet us we are prepared to make it a future of which we can be proud. " —Dr. Kelly Weinersmith, co-author of Soonish​

"Taking the reader on a journey through time, space, and the human experience, Future Rising makes you think about our responsibility to the future of our species and our planet in a refreshing way without a complete ‛doom and gloom’ lens that so many futurism tales can take." —Dr. Tanya Harrison, co-author of For All Humankind

Editorial Reviews

"Maynard has written a thoughtful and thought provoking response to the moment we’re in, chronicling how we got here, where we’re going, and what role we have in that journey forward. Written in an engaging and accessible style, Maynard explores topics ranging from art and creativity to memory, intelligence and potential threats ahead in a series of short essays. This book could easily be enjoyed in short bursts, but more likely, readers won’t be able to put it down once they start." - Ramona Pringle, Director of Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor, Ryerson University

From the Publisher