This document summarizes Dr. Arlan Andrews' presentation on entrepreneurship and science fictional thinking at the SIGMA forum in 2012. It discusses how entrepreneurs want to bring and own change, and how new disruptive technologies provide opportunities to do so. Science fictional thinking involves thinking without limits by recognizing trends and considering new paradigms informed by science and history. Examples are provided of evolutionary technologies like digital tattoos and neural interfaces, as well as potentially disruptive discoveries like evidence of alien life or faster-than-light travel.

1. Dr. Arlan Andrews, Sr. PE
GCF 2012
Founder & Director, SIGMA “The
Entrepreneurship
Andrews@SigmaForum.org Imperative”
21-24 January 2012

2.
SIGMA – The Science Fiction Think TankTM
www.SigmaForum.org

3. Entrepreneurs:
Disruptive Technologies,
Disruptive Minds

4. Entrepreneurship Imperative:
• Entrepreneurs want to bring change
• Entrepreneurs want to own change
• New technologies provide the best
opportunities to do both
• New tech often disrupts status quo
• “First explorers make the rules”

5. “Disruptive” Technologies:
• Major, unforeseen effects
• Printing press, automobiles
• Internet, World Wide Web
• Cell phones, social media
• What’s next? New tech, industries
• Science Fictional thinking

6. Science Fictional Thinking
• Thinking “Outside the box” = Without limits
• Recognizing , associating and correlating
disparate trends, patterns and anomalies
• Willingness to consider new paradigms
• Informed by science and history
• History of science/discovery/technology
• Not bound by space, time, current limitations
• “There will be a Science of the Year 3000”
• It would seem like magic to us in Year 2012

7. Science Fictional Thinking
• Back-pack or hand-held “3D printers”
• Weapons, ammunition, drugs, sabotage
• But – street-corner factories for useful goods;
every village/street a “New Hong Kong”
• Ubiquitous “virtual worlds” – like websites today
• Private “worlds” for crime, sex, terrorism
• But – “universes” of learning, education
• Life extension technologies
• Massive social changes – Who lives? Who dies?
• But – Stephen Hawkings lives! (We do, too?)

8.  Evolutionary Technologies:
• Digital tattoos – décor, display, text, ads
• Recording/display of dreams and thoughts
• Neural interfaces with computers/Web
• “Zero Point Energy” / “Room Temp. Fusion”
 Disruptive Discoveries:
• Direct evidence of alien life – there/here
• Faster than light signal propagation
• Directly viewing the past/future/alternatives
• Evidence of survival after death