The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge his future in Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

The future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist can be catagorized as either permanent meaning that they will exist for the whole of the future or temporary meaning that they won't and thus will come to an end. The future and the concept of eternity have been major subjects of philosophy, religion, and science and defining them non-controversially has consistently eluded the greatest of minds.^[1] It is the opposite of the past, and is the time after the present.^[2] In the Occidental view, which uses a linear conception of time, the future is the portion of the projected time line that is anticipated to occur.^[3] In special relativity the future is considered to be absolute future or the future light cone.^[4] In physics, time is considered to be the fourth dimension of the universe.^[5]

In the philosophy of time, presentism is the belief that only the present exists and the future and the past are unreal. Religions consider the future when they address issues such as karma, life after death, and eschatologies that study what the end of time and the end of the world will be. Religious figures have claimed to see into the future, such as prophets and diviners. Organized efforts to predict or forecast the future may have derived from observations by early man of heavenly objects.

Future studies, or futurology, is the science, art and practice of postulating possible futures. Modern practitioners stress the importance of alternative and plural futures, rather than one monolithic future, and the limitations of prediction and probability, versus the creation of possible and preferable futures.

In art and culture, the future was explored in several art movements and genres. The futurism art movement at the beginning of the 20th century explored every medium of art, including painting, sculpture, poetry, theatre, music, architecture and even gastronomy. Futurists had passionate loathing of ideas from the past, especially political and artistic traditions. Instead, they espoused a love of speed, technology, and violence.^[6][7] Futuristic music involved homage to, inclusion of, or imitation of machines. Futurism expanded to encompass other artistic domains and ultimately included industrial design, textiles, and architecture.

Forecasting[link]

Organized efforts to predict or forecast the future may have derived from observations by early humans of heavenly objects, which changed position in predictable patterns. The practice of astrology, today considered pseudoscience, evolved from the human desire to forecast the future. Much of physical science can be read as an attempt to make quantitative and objective predictions about events.

Forecasting is the process of estimation in unknown situations. Due to the element of the unknown, risk and uncertainty are central to forecasting and prediction. It can refer to estimation of time series, cross-sectional or longitudinal data.

Prediction is a similar, but more general term. Both can refer to estimation of time series, cross-sectional or longitudinal data. Econometric forecasting methods use the assumption that it is possible to identify the underlying factors that might influence the variable that is being forecast. If the causes are understood, projections of the influencing variables can be made and used in the forecast. Judgmental forecasting methods incorporate intuitive judgments, opinions and probability estimates, as in the case of the Delphi method, scenario building, and simulations. Forecasting is applied in many areas, including weather forecasting, earthquake prediction, transport planning, and labour market planning.

Despite the development of cognitive instruments for the comprehension of future, the stochastic nature of many natural and social processes has made precise forecasting of the future elusive. Modern efforts such as future studies attempt to predict social trends, while more ancient practices, such as weather forecasting, have benefited from scientific and causal modelling.

Future studies[link]

Future studies or futurology is the science, art and practice of postulating possible, probable, and preferable futures and the worldviews and myths that underlie them. Futures studies seeks to understand what is likely to continue, what is likely to change, and what is novel. Part of the discipline thus seeks a systematic and pattern-based understanding of past and present, and to determine the likelihood of future events and trends. A key part of this process is understanding the potential future impact of decisions made by individuals, organisations and governments. Leaders use results of such work to assist in decision-making.

According to Hubbert peak theory, peak oil is the date when the peak of the world's production of conventional petroleum (crude oil) is reached.

Futures is an interdisciplinary field, studying yesterday's and today's changes, and aggregating and analyzing both lay and professional strategies, and opinions with respect to tomorrow. It includes analyzing the sources, patterns, and causes of change and stability in the attempt to develop foresight and to map possible futures. Modern practitioners stress the importance of alternative and plural futures, rather than one monolithic future, and the limitations of prediction and probability, versus the creation of possible and preferable futures.

Three factors usually distinguish futures studies from the research conducted by other disciplines (although all disciplines overlap, to differing degrees). First, futures studies often examines not only possible but also probable, preferable, and "wild card" futures. Second, futures studies typically attempts to gain a holistic or systemic view based on insights from a range of different disciplines. Third, futures studies challenges and unpacks the assumptions behind dominant and contending views of the future. The future thus is not empty but fraught with hidden assumptions.

Futures studies does not generally include the work of economists who forecast movements of interest rates over the next business cycle, or of managers or investors with short-term time horizons. Most strategic planning, which develops operational plans for preferred futures with time horizons of one to three years, is also not considered futures. But plans and strategies with longer time horizons that specifically attempt to anticipate and be robust to possible future events, are part of a major subdiscipline of futures studies called strategic foresight.

The futures field also excludes those who make future predictions through professed supernatural means. At the same time, it does seek to understand the models such groups use and the interpretations they give to these models.

Physics[link]

This section requires expansion.

This section needs attention from an expert on the subject. The following WikiProjects or Portals may be able to help recruit one: • WikiProject Time • WikiProject Physics If another appropriate WikiProject or portal exists, please adjust this template accordingly. (April 2009)

A visualisation of the future light cone (at top), the present, and the past light cone in 2D space.

In classical physics the future is just a half of the timeline. In special relativity the future is considered as absolute future or the future light cone. In physics, time is considered to be a fourth dimension. Physicists argue that space-time can be understood as a sort of stretchy fabric that can bend due to forces such as gravity. While a person can move backwards or forwards in the three spatial dimensions, many physicists argue you are only able to move forward in time.^[8]

The physicist who advised the makers of the fictional time-travel film Déjà Vu claims that a person could hypothetically travel into the future if they had a spaceship that could travel at almost the speed of light. After a voyage on this ship, if a person returned to Earth, millions of years would have passed in Earth time.^[8] Some physicists claim that by using a wormhole to connect two regions of space-time a person could theoretically travel in time. Physicist Michio Kaku points out that to power this hypothetical time machine and "punch a hole into the fabric of space-time", it would require the energy of a star. Another theory is that a person could travel in time with cosmic strings.

Philosophy[link]

This section requires expansion.

In the philosophy of time, presentism is the belief that only the present exists and the future and the past are unreal. Past and future "entities" are to be construed as logical constructions or fictions. The opposite of presentism is 'eternalism', which is the belief that things in the past and things yet to come exist eternally. One other view (that has not been held by very many philosophers) is sometimes called the 'growing block' theory of time, which is a theory that takes the past and present to exist but the future to be nonexistent.^[10]

Presentism is compatible with Galilean relativity, in which time is independent of space but is probably incompatible with Lorentzian/Einsteinian relativity in conjunction with certain other philosophical theses which many find uncontroversial. Saint Augustine proposed that the present is a knife edge between the past and the future and could not contain any extended period of time.

Contrary to Saint Augustine, some philosophers propose that conscious experience is extended in time. For instance, William James said that time is "the short duration of which we are immediately and incessantly sensible".^{[citation needed]} Augustine proposed that God is outside of time and present for all times, in eternity. Other early philosophers who were presentists include the Buddhists (in the tradition of Indian Buddhism). A leading scholar from the modern era on Buddhist philosophy is Stcherbatsky, who has written extensively on Buddhist presentism:

Psychology[link]

This section requires expansion.

While ethologists consider animal behavior to be largely based on fixed action patterns or other learned traits in an animal's past, human behavior is known to encompass an anticipation of the future. Anticipatory behavior can be the result of a psychological outlook toward the future, for examples optimism, pessimism, and hope.

Optimism is an outlook on life such that one maintains a view of the world as a positive place. People would say that optimism is seeing the glass "half full" of water as opposed to half empty. It is the philosophical opposite of pessimism. Optimists generally believe that people and events are inherently good, so that most situations work out in the end for the best.Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. Hope implies a certain amount of despair, wanting, wishing, suffering or perseverance — i.e., believing that a better or positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary. "Hopefulness" is somewhat different from optimism in that hope is an emotional state, whereas optimism is a conclusion reached through a deliberate thought pattern that leads to a positive attitude.

Religion[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Religions consider the future when they address issues such as karma, life after death, and eschatologies that study what the end of time and the end of the world will be. In religion, major prophets are said to have the power to change the future. Common religious figures have claimed to see into the future, such as minor prophets and diviners. The term "afterlife" refers to the continuation of existence of the soul, spirit or mind of a human (or animal) after physical death, typically in a spiritual or ghostlike afterworld. Deceased persons are usually believed to go to a specific region or plane of existence in this afterworld, often depending on the rightness of their actions during life.

Some believe the afterlife includes some form of preparation for the soul to be transferred to another body (reincarnation). The major views on the afterlife derive from religion, esotericism and metaphysics. There are those who are skeptical of the existence of the afterlife, or believe that it is absolutely impossible, such as the materialist-reductionists, who believe that the topic is supernatural, therefore does not really exist or is unknowable. In metaphysical models, theists generally believe some sort of afterlife awaits people when they die. Atheists generally do not believe in a life after death. Members of some generally non-theistic religions such as Buddhism, tend to believe in an afterlife like reincarnation but without reference to God.

Agnostics generally hold the position that like the existence of God, the existence of supernatural phenomena, such as souls or life after death, is unverifiable and therefore unknowable. Many religions, whether they believe in the soul’s existence in another world like Christianity, Islam and many pagan belief systems, or in reincarnation like many forms of Hinduism and Buddhism, believe that one’s status in the afterlife is a reward or punishment for their conduct during life, with the exception of Christianity, which believes one's status in the afterlife is a gift from God and cannot be earned during life. “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8,9)

Eschatology is a part of theology and philosophy concerned with the final events in the history of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world. While in mysticism the phrase refers metaphorically to the end of ordinary reality and reunion with the Divine, in many traditional religions it is taught as an actual future event prophesied in sacred texts or folklore. More broadly, eschatology may encompass related concepts such as the Messiah or Messianic Age, the end time, and the end of days.

In art and culture[link]

Futurism[link]

Futurism was an art movement that originated in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century. Futurism was a largely Italian and Russian movement, although it also had adherents in other countries, England and Portugal for example. The Futurists explored every medium of art, including painting, sculpture, poetry, theatre, music, architecture and even gastronomy. Futurists had a passionate loathing of ideas from the past, especially political and artistic traditions. They also espoused a love of speed, technology, and violence. Futurists dubbed the love of the past passéisme. The car, the plane, the industrial town were all legendary for the Futurists, because they represented the technological triumph of people over nature. The Futurist Manifesto had declared, "We will glorify war - the world's only hygiene - militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman." ^[7] Although it owed much of its character and some of its ideas to radical political movements, it was not much involved in politics until the autumn of 1913.^[12]

One of the many 20th century classical movements in music was one which involved homage to, inclusion of, or imitation of machines. Closely identified with the central Italian Futurist movement were brother composers Luigi Russolo and Antonio Russolo, who used instruments known as "intonarumori", which were essentially sound boxes used to create music out of noise. Luigi Russolo's futurist manifesto, The Art of Noises, is considered to be one of the most important and influential texts in 20th century musical aesthetics. Other examples of futurist music include Arthur Honegger's Pacific 231, which imitates the sound of a steam locomotive, Prokofiev's "The Steel Step", and the experiments of Edgard Varèse.

Literary futurism made its debut with F.T. Marinetti's Manifesto of Futurism (1909). Futurist poetry used unexpected combinations of images and hyper-conciseness (not to be confused with the actual length of the poem). Futurist theater works have scenes that are few sentences long, and which use nonsensical humor and which attempt to discredit the deep-rooted dramatic traditions with parody. The longer forms of literature, such as the novel, had no place in the Futurist aesthetic, which was obsessed with speed and compression.

Futurism expanded to encompass other artistic domains and ultimately included painting, sculpture, ceramics, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, theatre design, textiles, drama, literature, music and architecture. In architecture, it was characterized by a distinctive thrust towards rationalism and modernism through the use of advanced building materials. The ideals of futurism remain as significant components of modern Western culture; the emphasis on youth, speed, power and technology finding expression in much of modern commercial cinema and culture. Futurism has produced several reactions, including the 1980s-era literary genre of cyberpunk — in which technology was often treated with a critical eye.

Science fiction[link]

Print (c. 1902) by Albert Robida showing a futuristic view of air travel over Paris in the year 2000 as people leave the opera.

Science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein defines science fiction as:

More generally, science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations based on current or future science or technology. Science fiction is found in books, art, television, films, games, theater, and other media. Science fiction differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically established or scientifically postulated laws of nature (though some elements in a story might still be pure imaginative speculation). Settings may include the future, or alternative time lines, and stories may depict new or speculative scientific principles, such as time travel or psionics, or new technology, such as nanotechnology, faster-than-light travel or robots. Exploring the consequences of such differences is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas".^[14]

Some science fiction authors construct a postulated history of the future called a "future history" which serves as a common background for their fiction. Sometimes the author publishes a timeline of events in their history, while other times the reader can reconstruct the order of the stories from information provided therein. Some works were published which constituted "future history" in a more literal sense - i.e., stories or whole books purporting to be excerpts of a history book from the future and which are written in the form of a history book - i.e., having no personal protagonists but rather describing the development of nations and societies over decades and centuries. Examples include H.G. Wells' The Shape of Things to Come (1933), which was written in the form of a history book published in the year 2106 and - in the manner of a real history book - containing numerous footnotes and references to the works of (mostly fictitious) prominent historians of the 20th and 21st centuries.

See also[link]

• Alternative future
• Cheiromancy
• Futurism
• Futurology
• Futurewise
• Paleofuture

Future events[link]

• Timeline of the near future
• Timeline of the future in forecasts
• Timeline of the far future
• Future of the Earth
• Future of the Solar System
• Future of an expanding universe

References[link]

v t e Time Major concepts Time Eternity Arguments for eternity Immortality History Past Present Future Futures studies Deep time Time Portal Measurement and standards Chronometry UTC UT TAI Second Minute Hour Sidereal time Solar time Time zone Metric time Decimal time Hexadecimal time Clock Astrarium History of timekeeping devices Horology Marine chronometer Sundial Water clock Calendar Day Week Month Year Tropical year Gregorian Islamic Julian Intercalation Leap second Leap year Chronology Astronomical chronology Calendar era Chronicle Dating methodologies Geochronology Geologic Time Geological history Periodization Regnal year Timeline Religion and mythology Dreamtime Kāla Kalachakra Prophecy Time and fate deities Wheel of time Philosophy A-series and B-series B-Theory of time Causality Endurantism Eternal return Eternalism Event Perdurantism Presentism Temporal finitism Temporal parts The Unreality of Time Physical sciences Time in physics Absolute time and space Arrow of time Chronon Coordinate time Planck epoch Planck time Proper time Spacetime Theory of relativity Time dilation Gravitational time dilation Time domain T-symmetry Biology Chronobiology Circadian rhythms Psychology Mental chronometry Sense of time Specious present Sociology and anthropology Long Now Foundation Time discipline Time use research Economics Time value of money Time-based currency Time Banking Related topics Carpe diem Duration Space System time Tempus fugit Time capsule Time signature Time travel

Eric Isaacs speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club.

Eric Isaacs is an American physicist. He is the current director of the United States Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, since May 2009.^[1] He previously worked at Bell Labs and at the Center for Nanoscale Materials.^[1] He is a professor of physics at the University of Chicago.^[1]

Before becoming Argonne Director, Isaacs served as Argonne's deputy laboratory director for programs, with responsibility for leading the laboratory's strategic planning process and overseeing the laboratory-directed research and development program as well as its educational programs.

Earlier he distinguished himself both as director of the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne and as professor of physics in the University of Chicago's James Franck Institute. During his 13-year tenure at Bell Labs, he was a member of the technical staff, director of the Materials Physics Research Department and director of the Semiconductor Physics Department.

He received a Ph.D. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1988 in the area of magnetic semiconductors and was a postdoctoral fellow at Bell Laboratories (1988-1990) studying magnetism and correlated electronic systems, mostly with synchrotron-based X-ray techniques.

He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and serves on a number of national scientific advisory committees, including the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee. He is author or co-author of more than 140 scientific papers and presentations.

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography of Eric Isaacs @ ANL

Patrick Dixon
Born	1957 London
Occupation	Futurist
Spouse	Sheila
Children	Four

Dr Patrick Dixon is an author and business consultant, often described as a futurist. In 2005 he was ranked as one of the 20 most influential business thinkers alive according to the Thinkers 50 (a private survey printed in The Times).^[1][2] He is Chairman of the trends forecasting company Global Change Ltd,^[3] founder of the international AIDS agency ACET, and Chairman of the ACET International Alliance.

Dixon was included in the Independent on Sunday's 2010 "Happy List", with reference to ACET and his other work tackling the stigma of AIDS.^[4]

Medical career[link]

Patrick Dixon studied Medical Sciences at King's College, Cambridge and continued medical training at Charing Cross Hospital, London.^[3] In 1978, while a medical student, he founded the IT startup Medicom, selling medical software solutions in the UK and the Middle East, based on early personal computers. After qualifying as a physician he cared for people dying of cancer at St Joseph's Hospice and then as part of the Community Care Team based at University College Hospital, London, while also continuing IT consulting part-time.

In 1988^[3] he launched the AIDS charity ACET, following publication of his first book The Truth about AIDS, which warned of an unfolding catastrophe that has since hit many nations in sub-Saharan Africa. ACET grew rapidly, providing home care services across London and other parts of the UK, as well as a national sex education programme in schools, reaching more than 450,000 students.

Dixon no longer practices as a physician, but remains actively involved as Chairman of the ACET International Alliance. This is now a network of independent national AIDS care and prevention programmes, sharing the same name and values, active in 23 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia.^[5]

Trends analysis, business consulting and writing[link]

Patrick Dixon now advises large corporations in many different industries on trends, strategy, risk management and opportunities for innovation, giving keynotes to thousands of business leaders at corporate events each year.^[6]

Since the 1990s Dixon has written 15 books covering a wide range of issues and macro-trends including social media, multichannel marketing, consumer shifts, demographics, rise of emerging economies, health care, biotechnology, social issues, sustainability, politics and business ethics.

Futurewise, first published in 1998, uses the word FUTURE as a mnemonic standing for "Six Faces of the Future" which will impact every large business: Fast, Urban, Tribal, Universal, Radical and Ethical.^[3] Dixon is optimistic about the capacity of human innovation to solve complex challenges:

This millennium will witness the greatest challenges to human survival that we have ever seen, and many of them will face us in the early years of the first century. It will also provide us with science and technology beyond our greatest imaginings, and the greatest shift in values for over 50 years. Futurewise, page xi

Building a Better Business, published in 2005, describes a new approach to leadership, management, marketing, teams, brands, customer relations, innovation, strategy, corporate governance and values. The book applies lessons from volunteering and non-profit organisations in motivating and inspiring large numbers of people to achieve great things. In it, Dixon argues that all successful leadership derives from an appeal to a common desire for a better future—for customers, workers, shareholders and communities. He attacks the "dangerous" obsession with shareholder value in many global corporations:

"Our society has come to see that a strategy to build shareholder value without a clear mission based on robust ethical values, is a complete nonsense. In fact it has proved one of the fastest ways of destroying an entire global business."

Sustainagility, published in 2010 and co-authored by Johan Gorecki, describes green technology and innovations across a wide range of industries, which Dixon believes will help to transform and protect the world.

Personal life[link]

Dr Dixon is married to Sheila, with four grown up children including the pop artist Paul Dixon (David's Lyre), and lives in London where the family is active in local church and community life.

Works[link]

Patrick Dixon publishes video messages on his web TV site. He claims over 10 million viewers,^[7] and YouTube shows over 3 million video views on his channel there.^[8]

Books[link]

The Thinkers 50 noted Dixon's relaxed attitude to his own intellectual capital, in that he makes much of it available without charge.^[3] Books marked * are published free online at the Global Change books page.

• The Truth about AIDS - Kingsway / ACET Int. All. 1987, 1989, 1994, new edition 2004 *
• AIDS and Young People - Kingsway 1989
• AIDS and You - Kingsway / ACET Int. All. 1990, 2004 *
• The Genetic Revolution - Kingsway 1993, 1995 *
• The Rising Price of Love - Kingsway 1994 *
• Signs of Revival - Kingsway 1994, 1995
• Out of the Ghetto - Word 1995
• The Truth about Westminster - Kingsway 1995 *
• The Truth about Drugs - Hodder 1996 *
• Cyberchurch - Kingsway 1996
• Futurewise - Harper Collins 1998, 2001, Profile Books 2003, reprinted 2004, 2005, 4th edition 2007
• Island of Bolay - Harper Collins 2000 - thriller
• Building a Better Business - Profile Books 2005
• Sustainagility - Kogan Page 2010

Selected articles[link]

• Wake up to stronger tribes and a longer life - Financial Times
• Death of National Stock Exchanges
• Why market research doesn't work when predicting the future
• Lessons for corporates from non-profits
• Drug testing in the workplace
• The death of shareholder value
• The office can really get under your skin (injectable chips)
• Auditing trends
• Designer babies
• Future of human cloning

References[link]

1. ^ Thinkers 50 2005
2. ^ Des Dearlove and Stuart Crainer, The Most Influential Management Gurus, The Times, November 2005
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Ciaran Parker, The Thinkers 50. Praeger Publishers, 2005. ISBN 0-275-99145-8
4. ^ The IoS Happy List 2010 - the 100, Independent on Sunday, 25 April 2010
5. ^ www.acet-international.org
6. ^ Patrick Dixon, speaker's profile at Leigh Bureau
7. ^ Patrick Dixon CV on Global Change website
8. ^ Dr Patrick Dixon - Futurist's channel on YouTube

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Patrick Dixon

• http://pdixon.blogspot.com - blog comment on recent events
• http://youtube.com/pjvdixon - over 200 short videos and full-length presentations by Dr Patrick Dixon on global trends
• www.nextwaveonline.com - A TV interview with Dr Patrick Dixon