Coursera Spring Sale
40% Off Coursera Plus Annual!
Grab it
Explore the profound historical connections between ancient democratic principles and modern technology in this keynote presentation that challenges conventional thinking about the role of technologists. Discover how open source software represents not a Silicon Valley innovation, but the latest evolution of ancient systems designed to distribute power across communities. Journey through history as the speaker connects the mystery cults of antiquity, the birth of Athenian democracy around 500 BC, and the development of the internet and open source movement. Learn how the same fundamental principles that enabled ancient Greek citizens to participate in democratic governance continue to drive consensus-based standards development and collaborative software creation today. Understand your position in the technology ecosystem not as an innovator building something entirely new, but as a guardian preserving and extending ancient wisdom about distributed power and collective decision-making. Gain insights into how these time-tested principles become increasingly vital for navigating our polarized, rapidly changing world and preparing for the challenges of the next two millennia.
