Written by the pioneering scientist, theorist and activist J. D. Bernal, this futuristic essay explores the radical changes to human bodies and intelligence that science may bring about, and suggests the impact of these developments on society. Bernal presents a far-reaching vision of the future that encompasses space research and colonization, material sciences, genetic engineering, and the technological hive mind. In his view, it will be possible for the conditions of civilization to reach a state of materialist utopia. For all three realms--the world, the flesh, and the devil--Bernal attempted to map out the utmost limit of technoscientific progress, and found that there are almost no limits.
With a new introduction by McKenzie Wark.
McKenzie Wark is the author of The Hacker Manifesto and other books and teaches at the New School in New York.
Author, writer & broadcaster. "The Danielle Steel of science" - Tom Whipple. Books include Bright Earth, Critical Mass, The Modern Myths, How Life Works.
My article for @sciam on synthetic morphology is now online. Nice to see it again after just having reread Bernal's "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil". https://t.co/FSRvTj91e4
Soonish, Open Borders, Bea Wolf, and new book: A City on Mars Married to @fuschmu. @ZachWeinersmith@mastodon.social (Support at https://t.co/xXXR5KKuTr)
Wow! I had thought the "Earth will run out of room" argument for space settlement was mostly a 1960s-70s thing, at least in origin. I just found it in JD Bernal's 1929 book "The World, the Flesh, and the Devil" -
"I think this book is perhaps the best short essay about the future of science ever written. It has a gem-like quality."
--Derek J. de Solla Price
"A stellar masterpiece of cosmic speculation."
--Bruce Sterling