Progress
Lecture handout: Progress* |
Activity: Transformative Breakthrough Worksheet |
Key readings:
- Dourado, Eli, “Notes on technology in the 2020s“, December 31st 2020
- Southwood, Ben, “Scientific slowdown is not inevitable“, Works in Progress, April 21st 2022
- Shariatmadari, David, “An optimist’s guide to the future: the economist who believes that human ingenuity will save the world” The Guardian, April 30th 2022
Here’s a concerning thought: “Half of all scientific papers were published in the last 12 years, but much less than half of all scientific progress has happened in that time” (link).
For a survey of potential breakthrough technologies see:
- Weinersmith, K., and Weiner, Z., 2017, Soonish, Penguin
In December 2020 Tyler Cowen provided a list of new technologies that may mark the end of the great stagnation. He included:
- Apple’s M1, GPT-3
- DeepMind’s application of AI to protein folding
- phase III for a credible malaria vaccine
- a CRISPR/sickle cell cure
- the possibility of a universal flu vaccine
- mRNA vaccines
- ongoing solar power progress
- new batteries for electric vehicles
- a possibly new method for Chinese fusion
In February 2022 MIT Technology Review listed their 10 biggest technology breakthroughs in 2022. They are:
- Moving away from passwords
- Coronavirus variant tracking
- A long-lasting grid battery
- Artificial intelligence for protein folding
- GlaxoSmithKline’s malaria vaccine
- Proof of stake
- COVID-19 antiviral pills
- Practical fusion reactors
- Synthetic data for training AI
- The world’s largest carbon removal factory in Iceland
Here is a podcast with Eli Dourado:
My conversation with @elidourado on what may drive an increase in economic productivity in the 2020s:
– biotech
– energy (geothermal)
– transportation
– space
– information technologyThis made me damn excitedhttps://t.co/djiHPcHP4w pic.twitter.com/NufFqfoYOW
— Patrick OShaughnessy (@patrick_oshag) May 11, 2021
Some of my favourite “no brainer” growth drivers include:
I suspect that future growth requires a cultural shift toward the principle of progress, and this involves a shift to longer term thinking. This post by Max Roser nicely presents the importance of “Longtermism”.
Here is a powerful and fascinating account of why advances in artificial wombs are so important, and I encourage all students to read it and reflect carefully on whether we should:
- Alter the 14 day rule on keeping embryos in labs.
- Invest more in Femtech.
For more on Permissionless Innovation:
A good, uplifting account of how creativity can result from not asking permission:
The importance of ideas:
Learning Objectives: Link technological innovation to growth theory and a broader reflection on the importance of the humanities
Cutting edge theory: A survey of potentially transformative breakthrough technologies. Focus on diversity: Virginia Postrel’s book, The Future and it’s Enemies, encapsulates the distinctions made at the end of the lecture. |