One must doff a cap in gratitude to Mike Hodgkinson and his Sunday article at the Independent in the UK. He profiles and writes on the writings and life of Ray Kurzweil. For years I, for one and surely not alone among science writers, have appreciated that there are futurists like him around – imaginative people who see a lively, jaw-dropping future and seem to keep more or less up on current literature and events, and who have some appreciable accomplishments of their own and well beyond mere windbaggery. Such people have a capacity to comment vividly on almost anything dealing with what has not yet happened – a handy sort to have available at deadline. Plus, while I’ve never attended one, Kurzweil organizes regular conferences of other future-thinkers, usually rather optimistic ones, to say quotable things about a plausible future of astonishing difference from who we are today and what kind of gadgetry and bio-bots we”ll have at hand. It’s sort of like science fiction without rocketships.

This piece captures a lot of that and includes a sit-down to talk with Kurzweil, and also touches on the opinions of those who think of his prognistications sure, maybe, but almost surely not. We ought to be grateful people like him – very brainy, slightly unhinged, ever-energetic, are among us.

- Charlie Petit

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