Kurmo Konsa: Who Writes the World's Next Version?

Historian and biologist Kurmo Konsa reflects on how humans no longer simply live in nature, but increasingly inhabit their own transformed and technologically modified environment. The author of the 2009 book "World 2.0" considers whether we now have reason to speak of the world already as version 2.1 or even 3.0. The question is: who determines the direction of this global transformation, and under what conditions?

When the book "World 2.0. The Artificialization of Nature, Humanity, and Culture" was published in 2009, its central thesis seemed somewhat premature: humans no longer simply live in nature, but increasingly inhabit an environment of their own creation, mediation, and technological transformation. Today, this idea has become an undeniable fact.

The book's author, historian and biologist Kurmo Konsa, believes that the question is no longer whether the world is becoming artificial, but rather how quickly and in what direction this is happening. Whether the present moment warrants a new version number — 2.1 or perhaps 3.0 — depends on how we assess the scope and depth of the changes that have occurred.

Version Jump or Gradual Evolution?

In Konsa's view, the changes that have taken place over the last decade and a half are so extensive that a simple version number increment may not adequately convey them. The spread of artificial intelligence, the engineering of biological systems, and the convergence of the digital and physical worlds point more toward a qualitative leap than to an evolutionary next step.

At the same time, this raises the question of who is actually driving this world transformation and under what conditions. Are decisions being made democratically, based on science, and with the broader public good in mind — or are we witnessing the realization of narrow interests, where the majority of people's role is to be the object of change rather than its subject?

Accelerating Artificialization

Konsa emphasizes that the pace of artificialization has accelerated dramatically in recent years. This does not simply mean new smart devices or applications, but a fundamental change in how humans perceive themselves in the world, how they interact with others, and how they understand their place between nature and culture. Those writing the world's next version are those who control technology, data, and narratives — and for precisely this reason, this question is profoundly political.