Norbert Wiener, the founder of cybernetics, observed that “there are local and temporary islands of decreasing entropy in a world in which the entropy as a whole tends to increase, and the existence of these islands enables some of us to assert the existence of progress.” At a moment when it feels like much of the planet is either on fire or underwater, Wiener's statement achieves a chilling resonance. People who argue for and against the notion that the human condition is better than it's ever been always seem to be talking past each other; this reminds us why.
#26: Bubbles, Floods, & Fires
#26: Bubbles, Floods, & Fires
#26: Bubbles, Floods, & Fires
Norbert Wiener, the founder of cybernetics, observed that “there are local and temporary islands of decreasing entropy in a world in which the entropy as a whole tends to increase, and the existence of these islands enables some of us to assert the existence of progress.” At a moment when it feels like much of the planet is either on fire or underwater, Wiener's statement achieves a chilling resonance. People who argue for and against the notion that the human condition is better than it's ever been always seem to be talking past each other; this reminds us why.