Being very Canadian I am prone to principled waffling and introspective self-doubt. This includes indecision regarding the true worth and value of the academic ventures I find myself pursuing.
Without being overly solipsistic (though this being a blog it’s difficult to avoid) I am gladdened when I come across something that reinforces my belief that I’m on the right path - at least of intellectual endeavour.
I follow the blog of a man named Nova Spivak, a man who’s career I envy - he is the founder of many different highly successful internet companies EarthWeb being his biggest/most famous. He is also a renowned expert in a field I hope to become an expert in as well - the semantic web, ontologies, collective intelligence and intelligent computing. While he throws his considerable mental capabilities at business I hope to tip my meagre offerings into the world of politics - particularly conflict situations.
Linking from his blog he pointed his readers to this book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/097156616X/ossnet-20
While, of itself it is fascinating. It discusses the effects collective intelligence is having on decision making at different levels of society, however the true personal weight of this book exists in the list of contributors.
Two in particular stand out - first is the venerable and bitterly-missed Thomas Homer-Dixon whom up until this year was an esteemed professor and would have taught my all-important Introduction to Peace & Conflict class next year, had he not been poached by that upstart Balsillie and his ’sillie School of World Affairs in BackWaterloo (I’m not letting this go).
The other is the Rt. Hon. Paul Martin, whom whatever you might say about him held the highest station of achievement in this country and thus probably isn’t entirely without some grey matter. He is also a fellow St. Michaels College student, as is this author.
A great many things have made me very pleased with my choice in degrees and I’m very excited to start reading the heaps upon heaps of literature on the topic so-as to become thoroughly tiresome to the people around me.