EDCMOOC discussion

What themes are emerging that you would like to discuss?

I am still on the first few chapters, but some early themes emerging for me are around:

- Virtual lives and personal identity
- 'Doing without understanding' - there is something here about automated tasks, how the soul is removed form learning and education.

Other posts have suggested parallels with the open source movement.

Please post suggestions to inform questions for the chat on 4th May (9:30GMT).

Will share more ideas by Friday GMT+12 evening,
but for now:

2-3 things that emerge for me about Rainbow's End =

1) Who/What is Rabbit? (implications; not a spoiler :)

2) What is the human / subhuman / supra/super-human, in this tech-mediated environment that includes references to enhancement drugs, etc.?

3) What is 'natural' anymore in Vinge's world/environment? (culture/nature) Are the tradeoffs worth it?

Ping, good questions.

Of interest:
a search of 'Vinge Rainbow's End' on Twitter
ie. https://twitter.com/search?q=vinge%20...
produced quite a lot of interesting recent comments on the book.
Would some of these people be interested in joining our chat,
though they may not have been part of EDCMOOC?

For this book, or for next books?

TChat questions for Saturday 6th May (9:30GMT)

1. Who/what is Rabbit?

2. What is 'natural' anymore in Vinge's world/environment? (culture/nature) Are the tradeoffs worth it?

3. "Doing without understanding": What parallels does 'no user-serviceable parts inside' have with technology today?

4. Wearables: are we heading that way?

PingLW wrote: "Of interest:
a search of 'Vinge Rainbow's End' on Twitter
ie. https://twitter.com/search?q=vinge%20...
produced quite a lot of interesting recent comments on the book.
Would ..."

Yes, why not! spread the word..