Arthur Hanson
Well-known member
Unlike previous technological revolutions, the semiconductor sector has provided unparalleled constantly accelerating leverage on any task it encounters. Semis don't increase power at a linear rate, but a geometric one. They have increased dramatically our access to natural resources to a point we will never face a shortage. This has been done through a vastly increased power to locate and develop resources of all types in ways never thought possible. We have access to so much fossil fuel that it will be obsolete as a fuel far before we run out. It's far better to use fossil fuels for materials and fertilizer than fuel and this should be true in our young adults life times. Advanced forms of food production will start coming on line in the next ten years that promise to increase the world's food by a geometric multiple. Microbial and algae already have produced on an acre what takes 38 acres of farm land. We may not eat this, but it can be used for animal and fish food taking huge strain off the food supply chain by increasing its efficiency geometrically. It is hard to name an industry that won't be substantially altered by the semi industry. There is almost no material problem that can't be solved and by not one solution, but several. Semis have given us the power to geometrically leverage the world around us in a way only limited by our imaginations. Perhaps the greatest gift the semiconductor world has given us by geometrically leveraging our brain power is a corresponding increase in opportunity. I hope we can apply this same leverage to the ability of our society to use this dramatic power to the betterment of everyone. I hope that we can fully utilize the power semis have given us to lower the cost of education in time and money. Just reducing the cost and time of commuting/travelling to school is a huge area of savings. The only thing we may suffer from is a lack of wisdom, for we have never had so much power come in such staggering amounts at an ever accelerating rate. I feel this is one area where SemiWiki community should put some effort. Good or Bad, the semi world has given us the power to leverage both. This is far to important to be left to chance. I hope this can be the beginning of an active discussion and hopefully action. There will be many solutions, I feel self directed education will be but one of many, for education of all types will be the keystone of progress. Jobs, Dell, Gates and Zuckerberg are but a few examples of people that charted their own educational path.
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