Much fanfare has recently appeared in the media about the 20th birthday of the Personal Computer. Most of what I have read is reminiscent of the great strides made in making computers more powerful, smaller, and cheaper. PC Magazine, in the September 4, 2001 edition, takes a different approach. They interview several futurists and ask the question, "What will the PC be like in 20 more years."

Peter Schwartz, academically trained as a rocket scientist, is "one of the rare professional futurists who doesn't exude the ripe scent of charlatanism." Schwartz says, "The biggest political challenge in this new century is the conflict between the secular and the sacred-between secular societies and religious societies. And it's one that science and technology will only exacerbate. Cloning, life extension, genetic manipulation, super intelligence, sentient robots-this stuff has a way of really freaking people out, because it touches on fundamental issues of human identity. What is a human? Are we God-endowed or just chemicals? If I succeed in growing a cell out of chemicals, what does that say about God? If I can manufacture an iris or something even more beautiful, what does that say about God? These are the sorts of questions we'll confront. The issues will be profound."

If Mr. Schwartz's predictions are correct, I believe that there will be a place for humanists in leadership of acceptance of new technology while looking at moral implications and making decisions that will affect us all. The magazine is currently on store shelves everywhere or on-line at: http://www.pcmag.com.

--Wayne Wilson