"From an environmental perspective, the Singularity can be thought of as the point at which technology and nature become one. Whatever perspective one takes, at this juncture the world as we have known it will become extinct, and new definitions of life, nature, and human will take hold."

"Kurzweil and Sun Microsystems' chief scientist Bill Joy agree that, circa 2030, the technology of the 1999 film The Matrix will be within our grasp and that humanity will be teetering on the edge of the Singularity."

The sixth paradigm, the one that will enable technology à la The Matrix, will be here in 20 to 30 years. "It's obvious what the sixth paradigm will be--computing in three dimensions," says Kurzweil. "We will effectively merge with our technology."

"Scientists predict breakthroughs soon that will open the way to molecular-size computing and the quantum computer, creating new scientific paradigms where exponential technological progress will leap off the map. Those who have done the exponential math quickly realize the possibilities in numerous industries and scientific fields--and then they notice the anomaly of the Singularity happening within this century."

"Singularity is the postulated point in our future when human evolutionary development--powered by such developments as nanotechnology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence-accelerates enormously so that nothing beyond that time can reliably be conceived. Typical developments include the merging of man and machine (cybernetic organisms--or cyborgs)."

"The majority of people closest to these theories and laws--the tech sector--can hardly wait for these technologies to arrive. The true believers call themselves extropians, posthumans, and transhumanists, and are actively organizing not just to bring the Singularity about, but to counter the technophobes and neo-Luddites who believe that unchecked technological progress will exceed our ability to reverse any destructive process that might unintentionally be set in motion."