Elon University
The prediction, in brief:

As very large webs penetrate the made world, we see the first glimpses of what emerges from that Net – machines that become alive, smart, and evolve – a neo-biological civilization. There is a sense in which a global mind also emerges in a network culture. The global mind is the union of computer and nature – of telephones and human brains and more.

Predictor: Kelly, Kevin

Prediction, in context:

In his 1994 book “Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems and the Economic World,” Kevin Kelly, editor of Wired magazine, writes: ”As very large webs penetrate the made world, we see the first glimpses of what emerges from that Net – machines that become alive, smart, and evolve – a neo-biological civilization. There is a sense in which a global mind also emerges in a network culture. The global mind is the union of computer and nature – of telephones and human brains and more. It is a very large complexity of indeterminate shape governed by an invisible hand of its own. We humans will be unconscious of what the global mind ponders. This is not because we are not smart enough, but because the design of a mind does not allow the parts to understand the whole.”

Biography:

Kevin Kelly was the author of the book “Out of Control” and the first executive editor of the highly influential Wired magazine. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)

Date of prediction: January 1, 1994

Topic of prediction: General, Overarching Remarks

Subtopic: General

Name of publication: Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems, and the Economic World

Title, headline, chapter name: uk

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 202

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney