Beyond the Information Age: a Philosophical Perspective

This paper presents the author’s view of the current trend in the world of information science. Based on the current trend in the development of modern science and technology, a theory regarding what lies ahead beyond the information age is taking shape. The purpose of this paper is to present this theory for further discussion. We have made tremendous advances in science and technology. I believe, however, considering the vast dimensions of the known (and unknown) universe, in spite of all the valuable advances in science and technology, our information and knowledge of the universe are almost nothing compared to the mind boggling sizes and mysteries of the universe. It appears, therefore, that any significant advance in discovering the mysteries of the universe, considering what is ahead, demands a radically different approach. Information science is leading and evolving to this approach, in which unification has a key role. The paper concludes with a discussion of a general trend, approaching a unified theory, unified knowledge, and/or unified intelligence.