As a community of citizens in the twenty-first century we are fortunate

to have emerged from the biological evolution of the past million years

and the cultural evolution of the past ten thousand years. We have

enjoyed an abundance of time and freedom to explore the 'why' and 'how'

things work and continue to push the limits of the present technological

evolution.

A World Perspective through 21st Century Eyes is not a history

textbook or a science history book. It is not a treatise on philosophy

or theology. Rather, it is a book on the major themes in the evolution

of man and the impact of science thereto. It is a book with the major

theme addressing the impact of science on society; one in which the

technical community has not had time to digest and reflect upon during

the past fifty years.

With the time pressures of the day and in the specializations in

which we operate, there is precious little surplus energy available to

us for leisure activity of our choosing. I trust that this treatment

will sketch a broad outline that the scientific and technological

community has had on society over the past five thousand years and

potential areas where further impacts will be made in the next one

hundred years.

To this effort, I believe the reader will find his or her surplus

energy well spent. An engineer, to which my life's training was aimed,

is expected to have a complete and thorough knowledge of some subjects.

This is true for most of us in the technical community, therefore, it is

also true that most of us choose not to write about many topics of which

we are not master. I feel this separation of subjects and isolation of

scientists and technologists does a disservice to others in other

disciplines, who look for different views in order to maintain a

balanced perspective on the myriad of issues confronting them each day.

Those of us who have grown-up in the Western Culture without a

technical education may find this discussion exciting in the different

way it is broached. Just as an engineer appreciates the beauty of the

Golden Gate Bridge and the precision of the clock, the inspiration from

watching the setting sun, reading a biblical passage or viewing a

Bouguereau painting can motivate and enlighten that same engineer. In

this way, I aim to provide the reader, either technical or

non-technical, with an appreciation of the evolving world from the

viewpoint of one who has been technically trained. I cannot reproduce

the sunset, paint or sing to inspire, but I hope these insights motivate

you to pause and consider your area of expertise, with the aim for you

to contribute that which has inspired and motivated you.