Smarter Than You Think
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15
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Average rating4
Shows how every technological advance, from the printing press to the Internet, has been disparaged, caused hand-wringing and has generated anxious predictions of doom, but actually has augmented human life for the better.
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Kasparov's match with Deep Blue is heavily cited when it comes to texts dealing with technology and the future. What Clive Thompson added here are 2 follow-up events that i wasn't aware of (even though i adore chess) and that perfectly fit the theme of the book:
Advanced chess tournaments: instead of “Man versus Machine” this form of chess - introduced by Kasparov - shows Man and Machine collaborations. Chess players make use of what computers are good add - big data statistical analysis - and form decisions based on that outsourced technological help and their own more intuitive reasoning.
Kasparov versus the World: Here Kasparov plays against a 50.000 people strong public group, that with the help of technological tools collaborated online and discussed and voted on how to move against the chess pro.
Thompson highlights many success stories from the recent years, small and big, that demonstrate the positive side of the rise of technology. How memory outsourced to computers gives us more time/space to focus on more important things, how ambient awareness of your social circle's day-to-day details creates surprising opportunities, how sousveillance gives power to the masses and helps stage revolution and how using video games in class can transform the laziest students into information-seeking problem-solvers.
