Merge branch 'main' of https://github.com/pluralitybook/plurality

audreyt · audreyt · commit addc15cd1245 · 2025-08-24T19:46:25.000+08:00
diff --git a/contents/english/2-0-information-technology-and-democracy-a-widening-gulf.md b/contents/english/2-0-information-technology-and-democracy-a-widening-gulf.md
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ How did we end up here? Are these conflicts the natural course of technology and
 
 A range of work suggests that technology and democracy could co-evolve in a diversity of ways and that the path most democracies are on is a result of collective choices they have made through policies, attitudes, expectations, and culture.  The range of possibilities can be seen through a variety of lenses, from science fiction to real-world cases.  
 
-Science fiction shows the astonishing range of futures the human mind is capable of imagining.  In many cases, these imaginings are the foundation of many of the technologies that researchers and entrepreneurs end up developing.  Some of these correspond to the directions we have seen technology take recently.  In his 1992 classic, [Snow Crash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash), Neal Stephenson imagines a future where most people have retreated to live much of their lives in an immersive “metaverse”.[^Crash]  In the process they undermine the engagement necessary to support real-world communities, governments, and the like, making space for mafias and cult leaders to rule and develop weapons of mass destruction.  This future closely corresponds to elements of the “antisocial” threats to democracy from technology we discussed above. Stephenson and other writers further extend these possibilities, which have had a profound effect in shaping technology development; for example, Meta Platforms is named after Stephenson’s metaverse.  Similar examples are possible for the tendency of technology to concentrate power through creating “superintelligences” as in the fiction of [Isaac Asimov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics) and [Iain M. Banks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series), the predictive futurism of [Ray Kurzweil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Spiritual_Machines) and [Nicholas Bostrom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superintelligence:_Paths,_Dangers,_Strategies), and films like [Terminator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superintelligence:_Paths,_Dangers,_Strategies) and [Her](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_(film)).[^AISciFi]
+Science fiction shows the astonishing range of futures the human mind is capable of imagining.  In many cases, these imaginings are the foundation of many of the technologies that researchers and entrepreneurs end up developing.  Some of these correspond to the directions we have seen technology take recently.  In his 1992 classic, [Snow Crash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash), Neal Stephenson imagines a future where most people have retreated to live much of their lives in an immersive “metaverse”.[^Crash]  In the process they undermine the engagement necessary to support real-world communities, governments, and the like, making space for mafias and cult leaders to rule and develop weapons of mass destruction.  This future closely corresponds to elements of the “antisocial” threats to democracy from technology we discussed above. Stephenson and other writers further extend these possibilities, which have had a profound effect in shaping technology development; for example, Meta Platforms is named after Stephenson’s metaverse.  Similar examples are possible for the tendency of technology to concentrate power through creating “superintelligences” as in the fiction of [Isaac Asimov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics) and [Iain M. Banks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series), the predictive futurism of [Ray Kurzweil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Spiritual_Machines) and [Nicholas Bostrom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superintelligence:_Paths,_Dangers,_Strategies), and films like [Terminator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terminator) and [Her](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_(film)).[^AISciFi]
 
 [^Crash]: Neal Stephenson, *Snow Crash* (New York: Bantam, 1992).
 
diff --git a/contents/english/5-0-collaborative-technology-and-democracy.md b/contents/english/5-0-collaborative-technology-and-democracy.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Why are we so focused on collaboration across diversity?  A simple way to unders
 
 While novel in a certain sense, this is also one of the oldest and most universally resonant of all human ideas.  All life depends on survival and reproduction, and cooperation across difference is critical to both: avoiding deadly conflict, but also reproduction that requires the unlike to come together, especially if inbreeding is to be avoided. Perhaps the most universal feature of religions around the world and across history have been their celebration of those who have achieved peace and cooperation across difference. 
 
-For those with a more practical and quantitative orientation, however, perhaps one of the most compelling bodies of evidence is the finding, popularized by economist Oded Galor in his *[Journey of Humanity](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2020%3A16&version=KJV)*.[^Galor]  Building on his work with Quamrul Ashraf charting long-term comparative economic development, he argues that perhaps the most robust and fundamental driver of economic growth is societies' ability to productively and cooperatively harness the potential of social diversity.[^Galorpaper] 
+For those with a more practical and quantitative orientation, however, perhaps one of the most compelling bodies of evidence is the finding, popularized by economist Oded Galor in his Journey of Humanity.[^Galor]  Building on his work with Quamrul Ashraf charting long-term comparative economic development, he argues that perhaps the most robust and fundamental driver of economic growth is societies' ability to productively and cooperatively harness the potential of social diversity.[^Galorpaper] 
 
 [^Galor]: Oded Galor, *The Journey of Humanity: A New History of Wealth and Inequality with Implications for our Future* (New York: Penguin Random House, 2022).
 [^Galorpaper]: Quamrul Ashraf and Oded Galor, "The 'Out of Africa' Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development", *American Economic Review* 103, no.1 (2013): 1-46.
diff --git a/contents/english/5-3-creative-collaborations.md b/contents/english/5-3-creative-collaborations.md
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ Yet these culture-defining collaborative projects have traditionally been slow a
 Yet early ⿻ technologies that became part of the fabric of the internet, imagined by people like Ted Nelson as we highlighted in [The Lost Dao](https://www.plurality.net/v/chapters/3-3/eng/?mode=dark), have already transformed the possibilities of collaborative creative practice and sharing.
 
 - Online collaboration: Tools like [Slack](https://slack.com/), [Asana](https://www.asana.com) and [Notion](https://www.notion.so/) (which we used in this project) have revolutionized the workspace by enabling teams to collaborate in real-time, regardless of geographic location. These platforms support a wide range of creative projects, from software development to marketing campaigns, by providing an infrastructure for communication, project management, and document sharing. They exemplify how digital workspaces can enhance productivity and foster a sense of community among team members.
-- Cloud-based creative software: [Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html?sdid=KKQWX&mv=search&ef_id=d25c5bc565731bbb4adb3e390045fe47:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3085!10!79165036321358!20541711544&msclkid=d25c5bc565731bbb4adb3e390045fe47), [Autodesk](https://www.autodesk.com), and [GitHub](https://www.github.com) (which was the primary platform for writing this book) offer sophisticated tools for designers, engineers, and developers to work on shared projects simultaneously. This technology allows for real-time feedback and iteration, reducing the time from concept to creation and enabling a more fluid and dynamic creative process. Even more prominently, collaborative word processing software such as [Google docs](https://docs.google.com) has enabled real-time collaborative editing by many people in diverse geographies.
-- Open-source projects: Some of the most ambitious creative collaborations take place in open-source co-edited projects like [Wikipedia](https://www.wikipedia.org), where thousands co-create increasingly canonical content. Platforms like GitHub and [GitLab](https://about.gitlab.com/) facilitate similar codevelopment for software, while others like [Hugging Face](https://about.gitlab.com/) allow this for development of Generative Foundation Models (GFMs). This collaborative model leverages the collective intelligence of a global community, accelerating innovation and improving software quality through diverse inputs and perspectives. 
+- Cloud-based creative software: [Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/), [Autodesk](https://www.autodesk.com), and [GitHub](https://www.github.com) (which was the primary platform for writing this book) offer sophisticated tools for designers, engineers, and developers to work on shared projects simultaneously. This technology allows for real-time feedback and iteration, reducing the time from concept to creation and enabling a more fluid and dynamic creative process. Even more prominently, collaborative word processing software such as [Google docs](https://docs.google.com) has enabled real-time collaborative editing by many people in diverse geographies.
+- Open-source projects: Some of the most ambitious creative collaborations take place in open-source co-edited projects like [Wikipedia](https://www.wikipedia.org), where thousands co-create increasingly canonical content. Platforms like GitHub and [GitLab](https://about.gitlab.com/) facilitate similar codevelopment for software, while others like [Hugging Face](https://huggingface.co/) allow this for development of Generative Foundation Models (GFMs). This collaborative model leverages the collective intelligence of a global community, accelerating innovation and improving software quality through diverse inputs and perspectives. 
 - Remote artistic collaborations: Artists and creators use platforms like [Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/), [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/en-GB), and [Discord](https://discord.com/) (the primary collaborative platform we used to discuss this project) to collaborate on projects, share their creative process, and engage with audiences in real-time. These platforms enable artists to co-create with other artists and fans, breaking down the barriers between creator and audience and fostering a participatory culture around the creative process.
-- Educational collaborations: Online non-profit education platforms like [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/?msockid=15de93b3131e6c11015c82bd12ad6d40), [edX](https://www.edx.org/), and [Khan Academy](https://www.khanacademy.org/) bring together educators and learners from across the globe. They support collaborative learning experiences, peer-to-peer feedback, and group projects, making education more accessible and fostering a global learning community.
-- Crowdsourced innovation: Platforms like [Kickstarter](https://www.khanacademy.org/) and [Indiegogo](https://www.indiegogo.com/) enable entrepreneurs to collaborate with the public to fund and refine new products and projects. This model of collaboration invites input and support from a broad audience, validating ideas and ensuring they meet the needs and desires of potential users.
+- Educational collaborations: Online non-profit education platforms like [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/), [edX](https://www.edx.org/), and [Khan Academy](https://www.khanacademy.org/) bring together educators and learners from across the globe. They support collaborative learning experiences, peer-to-peer feedback, and group projects, making education more accessible and fostering a global learning community.
+- Crowdsourced innovation: Platforms like [Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/) and [Indiegogo](https://www.indiegogo.com/) enable entrepreneurs to collaborate with the public to fund and refine new products and projects. This model of collaboration invites input and support from a broad audience, validating ideas and ensuring they meet the needs and desires of potential users.
 
    As we move forward, the possibilities for collaborative innovation can increase in breadth and depth, thriving on the collective intelligence,  diverse perspectives and unique contributions of larger (and even global) communities, redefining the boundaries of innovation, art, science, and education. 
 
