ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book discusses the thermodynamic misconceptions notwithstanding, element separation is not intrinsically energy-expensive. It describes when fuels are "burned"—converted into heat—a great deal of the energy must be thrown away. Nanotechnology will allow us to supplant the Promethean paradigm and move beyond the Paleotechnical. The technology of materials seems to be coming full circle. Metal and fire, may prove to be a stigma of the Paleotechnical Era. A correct thermodynamic appreciation of most current technology shows that it squanders energy, because the energy is in the form of heat. The book suggests that industrial civilization is doomed due to a fragility stemming from its complexity, the idea being that the host of specializations necessary for its operation could render it vulnerable to even minor disruptions.
