The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) will premiere a new film by a local resident designed to generate awareness of problems the world faces in the 21st Century.

‘The Meaning of the 21st Century’, by Dr. James Martin will premiere next Thursday at the BIOS campus in Hanson Hall, Ferry Reach. The film is based on the book of the same title published last year.

Dr. Martin is a consultant and author, and has been in the forefront of computer technology and futurist thinking for over 30 years. In 1978, he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his book, ‘The Wired Society: A Challenge for Tomorrow’. The book contained remarkably accurate and timely descriptions of the use of computers and the Internet. A quarter century later, ComputerWorld ranked Dr. Martin as fourth among 25 individuals who have most influenced the world of computer science. Perhaps his best achievement in computers was the development of CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering), tools that help automate software development.

During his travels around the globe, giving lectures and consulting with different countries, Dr. Martin observed firsthand the rapidly worsening conditions of the planet, and began formulating practical approaches towards solutions. He believes that if these solutions are implemented, they will lead eventually to radical changes in civilisation.

The problems and the solutions he recommends are the subject of his book, ‘The Meaning of the 21st Century. An Urgent Plan for Ensuring Our Future’ (Riverhead Penguin, May 2006), and now the film.

The documentary, filmed in High Definition and on all six continents, gives in-depth interviews with many leading world figures, including John McCain, Craig Venter, Lord Rees, President of the British Royal Society, Lord Patten the ex-governor of Hong Kong, and many top scientists, including Freeman Dyson, Gordon Moore, James Lovelock, and almost 100 other great people. Baroness Greenfield, Director of the British Royal Institute, and Director of the Oxford University Institute for the Future of the Mind is an on-screen guide throughout the film.

The film considers, “if we allow 21st-century problems to become steadily worse, which seems likely, there will eventually be a 21st-Century revolution”.

“A transition, unique in human history will occur,” said Dr. Martin. “If the transition goes well, humanity has a magnificent future. If it goes badly, we may be thrown into a new Dark Age — or worse. Today’s young people will be the generation that makes this grand transition succeed or fail. This, The Transition Generation or T-Generation will be increasingly global, Internet-connected, and passionate about the big issues. They will understand that the big problems cannot be solved by one nation. Global co-operation is needed. The T-Generation needs to thoroughly educated about the solutions that will make their future work.”

The documentary also cites problems such as climate change; unsustainable population growth; destruction of the ocean fisheries; future weapons of mass destruction.

Other notable titles Dr. Martin has published are: ‘The Wired World’; ‘Using the Seven Disciplines of Enterprise Engineering to Align Technology, People and Strategy’ and ‘CyberCorp: The Next Giant Step in the Evolution of the Corporate World’ among, many others.

At the premiere there will be a cash bar at 6 p.m., and the film begins at 6.30 p.m. with a brief intermission and a question and answer session with Dr. Martin to follow the screening. It is $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Reservations required, please telephone BIOS at 297-1880 extension 204 or e-mail vanessa.shorto@bios.edu.

Century’s ‘big problems’ and the T-Generation