Microman: Computers and the Evolution of Consciousness

Pask, Gordon, with Susan Curran. Microman: Computers and the Evolution of Consciousness. New York: Macmillan, 1982. Numerous significant illus. provided by Millions Design. See copyright page for prod. history and brief credits.

Includes chapters on "Computers Come of Age," "The Threatening Computer," "Computers, Consciousness and Conflict," "Maverick Machines," "The Best and Worst of Possible Worlds," and "Metamorphosis of Machines and Man" (we have regularized the capitalization). Among the "Best and Worst" future worlds envisioned (ch. 11) are "Micro-freak societies" of computer hackers living in "their abstract world" (202) and "Anthill cultures"—like the micro-freaks, but without micro-freak diversity: "Anthill citizens are sadly uniform" (204).