Geoversiv Notebook entries are short notes, observations, and meditations. In as few words as possible, they examine facets of the complicated landscape of challenge, crisis, innovation, and disruption, that surrounds us as we move into the second quarter of the 21st century.
Superintelligence demands serious thought
For those seeking superlatives, “superintelligence” sounds great—smarter than smart; really really good. The reality is: Superintelligence is a theoretical future scenario in which artificial intelligence systems have not only achieved “general” intelligence, but far exceed the capacity of any human being, organization, or institution. Artificial superintelligence, or ASI, would be effectively beyond human control, because…
Another world
The climate system is what makes Earth habitable. Industrial climate disruption is putting at risk the everyday habitability of our cherished homes—not just our planet, our hometowns and regions. The 2023 State of the Climate report included this stark warning: “By the end of this century, an estimated 3 to 6 billion individuals — approximately…
Overcoming anarchy
Do we live in an age of law or anarchy? Is cooperation the respected best practice for solving major problems, or are we abandoned, by institutional inadequacies or by our own frailties, to seek solutions without help? There is anarchy, criminality, and violence, and some leaders with great influence across the world engage in these…
Keep trying, always
In 2026, we have witnessed terrible moral breakdown. The very idea of decency has come under violent attack. Groups of citizens have had to organize to provide acts of basic human kindness and rescue. Their forthright courage is a reminder of our ability to do big things through an accumulation of small acts in support…
A future of liberated humanity
The future of energy systems is ultra-lightweight materials and devices. The future of resource management is coordinated, multilevel, minimalist, and circular. The future of political decision-making is decentralized, rooted, within a structure that prioritizes and safeguards the human rights of everyone. Sustainable enterprise, accountable participatory governance, open information, and humanizing finance, are all possible. Where…
Try pen & paper
An essay is a rehearsal of an idea, an exploration. Assertiveness and correctness are not the same thing. Precision requires work, experimentation, diligence, and persistence. Meditating on the multidimensional emergency of our historical moment requires honesty, beyond prejudgments or conventions, and that means reviewing interactions between ideas before they begin to operate in the high…
Cooperation is success
An under-considered approach to radical individualism creates the impression that doing anything—large or small—without assistance is a kind of victory. There are cases where such stories merit real attention and celebration, where a single person refuses to give up and their persistence rallies the world around them to meaningful change. In those cases, the resilient…
Steering through perilous times
The challenges of the 21st century are characterized by five complicating characteristics: They emerge from history, and are rooted in decisions beyond our control. They are happening now, at a time of unprecedented scientific understanding and technical acumen. They reach planetary scale through our globally interconnected industrial society. They compound each other’s effects in ways…
