This website presents stories and essays about the 21st century. In the essays, I try to create a convincing picture of how the century might develop, by writing from the vantage point of a future historian. The approach I follow is that of science fiction, not fantasy. I am not interested in speculations that do not have a secure basis in science, such as telepathy, or time travel, or religious miracles. Predictions based on our current scientific knowledge are already astonishing enough.
Humans are the most intelligent beings in the world.
Living things are distinct from manufactured things. Unless we reinforce the human brain with faster hardware, computerised agents will surpass human intelligence. Manufactured objects will acquire a complexity that rivals or surpasses plants and animals, thus blurring the clear dividing line that we now perceive. We need to think boldly and realistically about these issues, rather than retreating into pessimistic cliches or nostalgia for the present. I have written a novel called Mistica about life in the 21st century.