Love it or hate it,
Edge just won't go away. Their apparent mission statement,
To arrive at the edge of the world's knowledge, seek out the most complex and sophisticated minds, put them in a room together and have them ask each other the questions they are asking themselves.
seems like a cry for pie, or maybe Ipecac. But when
Denis Dutton, and
Jaron Lanier, and
Steven Pinker decide to toss out their two cents, what the hell, I'll give 'em a few minutes. I've felt privileged to eavesdrop on some of the discussions there. And once in a while, the bottom just drops out. Try wrapping your mind around
Julian Barbour's persuasive argument that
time does not exist.
Every year, Edge throws out one question and asks its contributors to respond if so inclined. They have a new one for 2006, and 117 responses so far.
The Edge Annual Question -- 2006
WHAT IS YOUR DANGEROUS IDEA?
The history of science is replete with discoveries that were considered socially, morally, or emotionally dangerous in their time; the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions are the most obvious. What is your dangerous idea? An idea you think about (not necessarily one you originated) that is dangerous not because it is assumed to be false, but because it might be true?
Much like responses to previous Edge questions, the answers are all over the place. Just a sampling from what I've read so far:
David Lykken, behavioral geneticist: the U.S. Supreme Court will find a way to approve laws requiring parental licensure.
Paul Bloom, Yale psychologist: There are no souls
Gregory Benford, UC irvine physicist: Two methods are getting little attention: sequestering carbon from the air and reflecting sunlight.
Timothy Taylor, archaeologist: The human brain is a cultural artefact. (His piece is much more interesting than this sounds.)
Richard Dawkins. I don't want to spoil this one for John Cleese fans.
And my favorite so far, of the ones I've read and actually been able to understand (string theory, anyone?): Robert R. Provine, neuroscientist: here and now is all there is. Huh. Pretty much any old Buddhist could have told you that.
Have a look. Stretch your brain and bring a new perspective back to DailyKos. Mock the intellectuals at play. Be sure to check out recent Edge interviews and editions, down the left-hand column. And while you're there, ask Brockman why he can't order the entries alphabetically. Now there's an idea.