Grand challenges into the 21st century - bbc article

While catching up on international news on the bbc, I chanced on this article last week, on a collection of 'opinion pieces' revolving around the topic of 'grand challenges into the 21st century'

Several commentators provide their reflections on artificial intelligence, cities and global development, health and humanity, energy and the future of the internet, media and democracy.

In general, predictions towards the future have always been fraught. Predictions are based using known and quantifiable statistics and socio-political situation from the present and extrapolating these outwards into the short or long term future. However, we have learnt that the world and the biological earth is unpredictable, with human and natural circumstances shifting in unpredictable patterns. So any discussion of the future needs to be taken with the caveat that it is all conjecture.

The various experts have taken on the task of looking into the 'grand challenges' and it is worth a quick read to see what the commonalities and dis-similarities are.

In general, there is some convergence that given 'progress' as following on incrementally, artificial intelligence, robotics and the internet will become standard features in our future lives. How the effects occur require humans to take a knowledgeable approach. We need to be award the potentialities but also be mindful of the social effects.

Likewise, there is a strong focus on sustainability in the discussions on development, health and energy. At the moment, we only have one planet to sustain us. We need to be cognisant and responsible for the effects of human living on the planet. Instead of warring amongst ourselves, it is time to take a global initiative to ensure our decendents have a future on earth.

Not all the discussions are easy reading. Some have links that provide more material to follow up. Overall, worth the time taken to catch up on wider viewpoint.