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Prevail Summary.edited

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English

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De Anza College

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qrkqrk07

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Summary of the chapter’s main ideas and individuals.

Prevail is chapter 6 of radical evolution, an article by Joel Garreau. The chapter’s main

idea is a scenario called Prevail, which explains Lanier’s idea of human power to transcend to

something beyond the human nature understanding. Unlike Ray and Joy, whose curves are

smooth and yield inevitable results, his idea in a graph would be represented by hiccups and

coughs, fits and starts, reverses and loops. The chapter explores a situation where technology

would not be in control of human affairs. Also, outcomes radical evolution outcomes would

involve radical change. According to Lanier, the Prevail scenario is characterized by uncertainty

because the universe does not provide humanity with absolute truth (Garreau. p.196). Lanier

indicates that he is avoiding falling into Kurzweil and Joy’s paranoid reasoning, which only fits

their worldview. He states that he wishes to use the Prevail scenario to perceive a gradual ramp

of connecting interpersonal gaps. He adds that its implications on human society measure the

Prevail scenario. His idea is that even if technology is on a smooth curve, its effect on humanity

is not straight.

Lanier views the Prevail Scenario as transcendence to an infinite game, where people are

in the center, trying to connect. In his book, finite and infinite games, James P. Carse argues that

‘a finite game is played to win, an infinite game to continue’ (Garreau 197). Garreau explains

Lanier's idea of the infinite to be something that is continuous. He adopts James' view of infinite

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to mean the ability to break boundaries. On several occasions, Lanier criticizes the immutable

characteristics of hell and heaven scenarios and also their social impact. Garreau stresses

Lanier’s Prevail scenario using Faulkner’s quote that man will prevail because he is made of a

soul, spirit, and can sacrifice and endure.

In another instance, Garreau describes Lanier Prevail's scenario as a search for a complex

and changing transcendence. Being infinite, the Prevail scenario does not continue in a singular

line. Also, the fact that it is fundamentally imaginative explains the lack of basic measurement.

Therefore, transcendence grows forever. Lanier argues that human connectedness is' a much

more profound kind of ramp’ (Garreau.p.200). Technology is a significant element in connecting

people together. According to Lanier, social connections are complicated because they involve

people who are surrounded by many factors that hinder their communication. Although they

create relationships and long for one another, there lacks connection between them, and instead,

an orifice is created. Contrary, Lanier views aliens as closely connected to one another such that

they can intrude into each other's dreams.

Garreau explains Lanier's idea of connectivity ramp as something that continuously

grows. He captures the advent of spoken language that was followed by the advent of reading

and writing that rose to the art forms and drama. Many years ago, although human beings had

primitive brains, they could talk. The fact that people can clearly talk using speak well today

means the human brain and spoken language have evolved. However, with the invention of

reading and writing, there has been no change in the human brain. Garreau explains the Prevail

scenario, citing that the reading or writing design was opportunistic and that it affected the innate

brain.

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Surname1 Student Name Course Professor Date Summary of the chapter’s main ideas and individuals. Prevail is chapter 6 of radical evolution, an article by Joel Garreau. The chapter’s main idea is a scenario called Prevail, which explains Lanier’s idea of human power to transcend to something beyond the human nature understanding. Unlike Ray and Joy, whose curves are smooth and yield inevitable results, his idea in a graph would be represented by hiccups and coughs, fits and starts, reverses and loops. The chapter explores a situation where technology would not be in control of human affairs. Also, outcomes radical evolution outcomes would involve radical change. According to Lanier, the Prevail scenario is characterized by uncertainty because the universe does not provide humanity with absolute truth (Garreau. p.196). Lanier indicates that he is avoiding falling into Kurzweil and Joy’s paranoid reasoning, which only fits their worldview. He states that he wishes to use the Prevail scenario to perceive a gradual ramp of connecting interpersonal gaps. He adds that its implications on human society measure the Prevail scenario. His idea is that even if technology is on a smoot ...
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Tags: Joel Garreau human power Ray and Joy human affairs human society