What Beer Can Teach Us About Emerging Technologies

cold fjord writes that Assistant Professor and lecturer Dave Conz has an interesting article at Slate, from which: "I believe beer is the perfect lens through which to examine innovation, which is why I teach a senior capstone course at Arizona State University called the Cultural and Chemical History of Beer. ... Home brewing is part of a broad spectrum of DIY activities including amateur astronomy, backyard biodiesel brewing, experimental architecture, open-source 3-D printing, even urban farming. ... Many of these pastimes can lead to new ideas, processes, and apparatus that might not otherwise exist. Depending on your hobby and your town, these activities can be officially encouraged, discouraged, unregulated, or illegal. For example, it's illegal to make biodiesel fuel at home in the city of Phoenix ... but not regulated in the bordering towns of Scottsdale, Chandler, or Tempe."

Comments

I'll need to tell that to my employer

[vikingpower]

"Beer brewing a source of innovation. Send me on a training, ASAP plz".

Re:I'll need to tell that to my employer

[nedlohs]

third law, dammit!

Beer Goggles?

[pegasustonans]

I believe beer is the perfect lens through which to examine innovation

The last time I used beer as a lens, I woke up surrounded by 15 naked people with spotty memories of sleeping with the babysitter.

Re:Beer goggles instead of safety goggles?

[El Torico]

Hence the phrase, "It seemed like a good idea at the time."