TECHNOPROPHETS
Credit:
This page is an expansion of a page created by Dr. Frank Biocca at the University of North Carolina.
To the original page.
The Classics
- Harold Innis
Innis was a Canadian theorist of techno-media, and served as a mentor for McLuhan.
- Marshall McLuhan (disciple of Harold Innis). See Project McLuhan
McLuhan is the "patron saint" of Wired magazine and is considered a prophet of the electronic generation. Author of Understanding Media
instant quote from the McLuhan.
- Lewis Mumford
Mumford was a historian of technology, author of Technics of Civilization
More on Mumford
- Buckminister Fuller
Fuller is credited with inventing the geodesic dome. Prophet of architecture and technology.
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Norbert Weiner
Weiner was considered a child genius; developed into a prominent mathematician at MIT; addressed relationship between humans and machines; invented term cybernetics.
- Jacques Ellul
Ellul is critical of technology, argues that it dehumanizes individuals and society. A French Marxist.
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Arthur C. Clarke
Clarke developed the basic theory of communications satelites, published in 1945.
A speech by Clarke that can be played over the Web
Recent Futurists and TechnoEnthusiasts
- Alvin Toffler
Toffler and his wife are both noted authors on technology, believes we are in a post-industrial phase of techno-civilization.
See Wired Interview
- George Gilder.
Gilder is a techno-enthusiast with political ties.
See Telecosm, and Wired's first and second interviews with Gilder.
- Nicholas Negroponte.
Negroponte is a co-founder of MIT's Media Lab, part owner of Wired magazine.
See his book Being Digital and his columns in Wired.
- Marvin Minsky
Minsky is an MIT professor considered to be the father of artificial intelligence.
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Howard Rheingold
Rheingold is author of The Virtual Community, and overall promoter of cyberculture.
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John Perry Barlow
Barlow is a co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
- Bill Gates
Gates is the co-founder of Microsoft, and is currently the richest person on the planet. Has recently authored a book, The Road Ahead.
- Stuart Brand
Brand is a co-founder of the WELL, the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, a Bay Area network of computer users.
- Steve Jobs
Jobs is a co-founder of Apple Computers, credited with developing the Macintosh.
- Esther Dyson
Dyson is president of EDventure Holdings, a worldwide information technology company. She is also vice-president of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Electronic Frontier Foundation archive about Dyson
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Neil Postman
Postman is a media futurist and professor at NYU.
See
Neil Postman Links
Link to page at NYU that describes program Postman chairs
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Seymour Papert
Papert is a founding member of the MIT Media Laboratory and the LEGO Professor of
Learning Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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Robert Lucky
Lucky is vice-president of applied research at Bellcore, the research branch of the Bell operating companies.
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Clifford Stoll
Stoll is an author, including his most recent book, Silicon
Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Highway. His previous works have examined issues raised by computer hackers.
See an
interview with Stoll.
Critics, Cassandras, and Prophets of Doom
- Langdon Winner
Winner is a professor in the Department of Science & Technology studies at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, concentrating on the social and political issues generated by modern technological change.
- William Gibson
Gibson is the author of Neuromancer, which coined the term "cyberspace".
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Sherry Turkle
Turkle is a Professor of Sociology at MIT who examines personas people assume when they are online.
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Stephen Talbott
Talbott is the author
of The Future Does Not Compute - classic dystopic book about the interfaces and the net
note: this page is maintained by the Talbott's publishing company, it is very simple
- Bruce Sterling
Sterling is a cyber journalist and author of The Hacker Crackdown. He is associated with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR)
Artist Seers and Techno-Designers
- Don Norman
Norman is an Apple Fellow at Apple Computers
Don Norman interview excerpt
- Brenda Laurel
Laurel is a performance artist who experiments with virtual reality. Considered an authority on human-computer interaction and interface design.
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Jaron Lanier
Lanier is generally credited as the inventor of virtual reality.
- Walter Bender
Bender is a News of the Future guru at MIT's Media Lab, also the leader of an interactive newspaper project.
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William Mitchell
Mitchell is the dean of the school of architecture at MIT. He is the author of City of Bits.
This page last updated 11 December, 1996.