geographies of knowledge

[miriam_e]

...or, the countries of Earth merge while the countries of mind emerge.

Have you noticed the increasing separation between the realms of knowledge? It's nothing new for people to band together and then diverge from the rest of humanity. What is new is that these groups are no longer necessarily bound by geography. Their members can exist all over the planet inside an increasingly homogeneous society, but are becoming separated from other groups by vast gulfs of understanding. A geography of mind is diversifying, isolating regions that seemed not long ago to be the one kingdom. A kind of continental drift is in effect, but instead of taking millions of years to produce noticeable change, this works in mere decades, or even less.

Hundreds of years ago any single person could reasonably hope master much of the knowledge and literature of the world. Now it's impossible to master just a single narrow disipline.

I expect amazing new breeds of mental engineers will work out ways to build bridges between the rapidly separating continents of mind. Of course some relics will be left behind to despair about the three Rs, bewildered at what is happening around them... but that's okay. They can be the custodians of old knowledge. It's all good. It's all important.

Humanity is embarking on an age where the strangest person in the world will be the one standing beside you. They'll understand concepts completely beyond your wildest imaginings, and likewise you will know things they couldn't hope to comprehend. Such an age will defy uniformity with its chaotic exploration of all the realms of knowledge.

I've often felt that we live in a renaissance now, but the current explosion of knowledge and culture will pale beside what is coming.

Don't let the fear mongers make you want to retreat. It's natural to feel unsettled by it; all generations have felt changes were happening uncomfortably fast. Prepare for the whirlwind. This is going to be the ride of your life.

Comments

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

Here is a very cool piece about how our neural receptors change with age:
http://www.bumc.bu.edu/www/busm/pharmacology/tsien/pdf_files/tsien2000sci_am62.pdf
(If the pdf is no longer there let me know and I'll put it up on my site for you.)

And here is an uplifting piece about Phyllis Turner, a 94 year old woman who has just got her Masters degree in Medicine. She is the oldest person to ever do so. She dropped out of school at 12 years old to help her Mum, then returned to school at age 70, topped her year with her writing and gained an honours in Anthropology at age 90. She certainly isn't letting age slow her down too much. Imagine how society could have used someone like her if she hadn't needed to pause her formal education at 12 years old. (Poverty sucks.)
http://www.happynews.com/news/832007/94-year-old-graduates-master.htm
http://community.elearners.com/blogs/inspiration_for_education/archive/2007/08/11/World_2700_s-Oldest-Gets-Master_2700_s-Degree.aspx

Prill Boyle has a blog and a book about women who go on to great things in later life (the address below is her entry about Phyllis Turner)
http://defyinggravitynow.blogspot.com/2007/08/phyllis-turner-94.html

Keep that mind active and questing. :)

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I don't have time to read all that as I have a paper due tomorrow that I need to write up, but it all sounds fascinating and I will keep the comment saved. =).

I plan to keep this mind active and questing (and questioning!) just...after I sleeeeep. xD.

Grin.

Thanks!