Author Archives: Columbus Futurists

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The March Columbus Futurists was held in Thompson Library room 165 on the Ohio State campus. Policies whose foreseeable costs and benefits are spread over long time periods—as they are in CO2 reduction policies—raise the ethical question of what we owe to future generations. But this question can be hidden behind the choice of a “discountContinue reading “Recap: “Discounting the Future””

The National Endowment for the Humanities received a reprieve earlier in the year, when Congress voted to continue funding (in its “skinny budget,” the Trump administration had planned a zero budget for the NEH).  Academic job listings in the humanities are at their lowest levels in 30 years, and politicians on both sides of theContinue reading “Recap: On the Future of the Humanities”

Forum: December 7, 2017 Topic: Future of Technology For the first time in our group’s history, we will have a December meeting of Columbus Futurists.  On Thursday December 7 at 6:30 PM at the Panera Bread community room (875 Bethel Rd.).  Students in David Staley’s “Future of Technology” seminar at Ohio State will be presenting scenarios they researched thisContinue reading “Recap: Future of Technology”

Big History – techniques for analyzing possible futures? The study of history has always been pursued with the goal of gleaning insights that can help shape the future.  “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” Santayana is reputed to have said.  What can we learn from the past that enables usContinue reading “Recap: Big History – techniques for analyzing possible futures?”

Topic: Hyperloop and It’s Impact on Central Ohio In 2016, Columbus was awarded $50 million in the Smart City Challenge primarily to analyze and experiment with issues in transportation.  Almost in parallel with the effort resulting in this award, Columbus interests have been supported an initiative to build a new form of mass transportation –Continue reading “Recap: Hyperloop and It’s Impact on Central Ohio October 19, 2017”

This month’s discussion of truth in a so-called post-truth world will be the biggest event of the year for Columbus Futurists.. It will be huge!  The biggest audience ever, the best ideas ever!  And this will be our report after the event, whatever actually happens!  (Hopefully, obvious satire …) Why?  Because we have entered an age where truthContinue reading “Recap: Future of Truth in a Post-Truth World”