taylor@hplabsc.UUCP (10/07/86)
As I promised at the postscript to the previous message, here is my list of recommended books that are relevent to the discussions we have in this forum. I encourage others to indicate what books they feel are relevant, why, and briefly describe the discussion therein. Richard Dawkins, "The Selfish Gene". While this is properly a sociology book, Dawkins has some fascinating things to say about gene-based behaviours and, more relevant to C&S, he talks about the idea of "memes" being fundamental units of information that are analogous to genes. This idea really opens a whole new horizon up to the *concepts* embodied in computers and the very real dangers of creating an 'information elite'. Well worth reading!! Richard Rubinstein and Harry Hersh, "The Human Factor". This is actually a somewhat trivial book (lots of cliche's and truisms) but nonetheless touches on some interesting ideas about how people relate to computers on a day to day basis. Sherry Turkle, "The Second Self - Computers and the Human Spirit". An interesting, if slightly longwinded, discussion of the effects of computers on society. Turkle talks about the culture of 'hackers', the effects of computer toys and computers on children (by far the most interesting part to me) and various other subgroups. Norbert Wiener, "The Human Use of Human Beings - Cybernetics and Society". This is an interesting, somewhat dated discussion of the effects of computers and ramifications of computers on our relationship to other people, and to society as a whole. Arnold Pacey, "The Culture of Technology". The author takes the stance that technology is *not* without moral and ethical value and discusses our seemingly conflicting attitudes about nuclear war and pollution, social medicine, and so on. This is perhaps the most relevant book in this list, and perhaps should be required reading before being allowed to post to the group! (imagine the uproar over THAT if it were implemented!!) Howard Rheingold, "The Cognitive Connection/usr/mail/taylor.lock" (not yet published) I did a galley review of this book for Howard and found it to be one of the most interesting I've read on the parallels between programming languages and our attempts to communicate via languages. When it comes out, you should certainly buy a copy... Starr Roxanne Hiltz and Murray Turoff, "The Network Nation - Human Communication via Computer". I've had a lot of people tell me this was a terrific book, but when I read it I found it to be a dated and somewhat trivialized (e.g. oversimplified) discussion of the social and psychological ramifications of on-line communities. A book that would have been better had it been cut down about 50%. Still worth reading if you are interested in how people communicate via computer and such. There are a lot of other books that are interesting. A lot of books can be used as 'gauges' of the impact of technology on society. The area of Science Fiction is a good example of this. To read SF from thirty or more years ago presents a very different view of the impact technology will have on society (to compare "1984" and "Utopia" is enlightening, as an example). There are a lot of other gauges too - films, TV, toys, and many many more. What I'd *really* like to see happen is that a percentage of the traffic in C&S Digest (and mod.comp-soc) be devoted to items of relevance to the general acceptance of technology by society. Comments about the role of computers in cinema, and especially American vs. European (for example) would be very welcome and an interesting addition to the group. As always, I welcome your thoughts on this matter. -- Dave Taylor