Section 1-2

In the beginning, Bush describes the numerous scientific advances the world has had in the last 100 years. Bush argues that science is the single reason why human communication has been so advanced for so long. Bush then says that while all these things contribute to our prosperity they also make it difficult for most of the cutting edge research of the present to be truly examined and thought about. This is because we are currently in a cycle of making so many advancements with so few people and resources to accurately understand them, “The difficulty seems to be, not so much that we publish unduly in view of the extent and variety of present-day interests, but rather that publication has been extended far beyond our present ability to make real use of the record” (Bush, 36). With this in mind, Bush articulates many different advancements in photography and the future of photography shows us what is possible with science such as the invention of microfilm and has the possibilities to create superior results.

Section 3-5

In this section of his essay, Bush discusses the ways in which the record of the future could be produced, with sound recording or photographically. Bush also postulates some predictions about the future, including that the speed of arithmetic on a computing machine will accelerate. However, this process of computing is not sufficient to put humanity in conversation with the world. Many other automated processes will be needed to attain the proper storage and dissemination of information throughout the world that Bush desires. To that end, Bush also calls for a new symbolism of numerical representation which is similar to the function binary code completes today. He argues that a new numerical “positional” system will facilitate access to and dissemination of the record of the future.

TJ did sections 1-2 and posted online

Gray did sections 3-5