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cover of episode Selects: How Futurology Works

Selects: How Futurology Works

2024/9/7
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Futurology, the study of predicting future trends, emerged from post-World War II military needs. Pioneered by figures like Hap Arnold and Theodore von Karman, it involved forecasting technological advancements for strategic advantage. The Delphi technique, a method of achieving consensus among experts, was developed to refine these predictions.
  • Futurology emerged from post-WWII military needs.
  • Theodore von Karman accurately predicted drones and the atom bomb.
  • The Delphi technique uses expert consensus for forecasting.

Shownotes Transcript

Science fiction writers have made some amazingly accurate predictions over the years, but in 1945 the pace of technological change created a field that spun off of sci-fi forecasting, futurology. Learn all about it with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode.

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