courseoutline

When you want to consider the future, this is a good place to start...

Course Outline
Creating the Future

1. Introduction to the Course: Objectives, Participants, Methodology. Reading: Dyson.

2. Where We�ve Been: Brief review of historical trends. Reading: McNeil, Diamond

3. Where We Are: Present state of the world, with emphasis on economic and social conditions Reading: Toffler's column in WSJ, March 29, 2001

4. Creating the Future: how our present relationship with the future differs from what it has been in the past. Reading: Toffler

5. Creating the Future: How individuals, organizations and governments can shape the future

6. The Future is Technology is the Future: How the nature
and speed of technological changes has changed the way change
influences us and we influence change. Reading: Wilson, Gleick

7. How Others See the Future: Futurists and Science Fiction:
Is there a difference? Reading and Viewing: as much Sci-Fi as
you can handle. Suggestions: Bladerunner, Logan�s Run, Silent
Running, Soylent Green.

8. Alternative Views: Irrationality vs. Reason, Turning away from Individualism, Doom (economic, ecological and medical doomsday scenarios). Reading: Fukuyama, The Burning Zone.

9. The Future of Human (?) Relations: Genetic and electronic
modifications of people. Reading: Ridley.

10. Created Selected Futures: Future of Law

11. Created Selected Futures: Future of Government

12. Created Selected Futures: Future of Education

13. And Now�The Future!

Readings
Dyson, Freeman, The Sun, the Genome and the Internet, Oxford University Press.

Fukuyama, Francis, The Great Disruption, Simon & Schuster

Gleick, James, Chaos, Penguin Books

Ridley, Matt, Genome, Harper Collins

Toffler, Alvin, The Third Wave, Bantam Books

Wilson, Edward O. Consilience, Knopf

Suggested Reading
Diamond, Jared, Guns Germs and Steel. Norton

McNeil, William, Rise of the West, University of Chicago Press

Fukuyama, Francis, the End of History, Bard

Gray, John, False Dawn, The New Press