The Evolution of Wired Life

"Critically acclaimed author Charles Jonscher examines the computer revolution in the context of the development of new information technologies throughout human history. From the invention of the first alphabet 3,700 years ago to the printing press to the World Wide Web, Jonscher shows how these communication developments have changed society while also highlighting their limits, and answers popular questions about our latest technological journey.

He emphasizes a vital point: no other calculating machine can match the creative power of the human mind. As he writes: "Even with the development of virtual-reality systems, the notion of a large-scale substitution for live contact with real people and tangible goods is to underestimate greatly the subtlety and sensitivity of the human sensory process.""--BOOK JACKET.