An interesting morning that commenced with the question “I wonder if there is such a thing as ‘a philosophy of ageing’?” If there is I should check it out because I am well and truly at that point in my personal history. I reached for my faithful ipad, and I lost the plot as I held it in my hand.

What a marvelous device is the ipad! What a gift it is to the elderly! Where would I be without it? I would be locked into a failing memory whereas at this moment the world and its information is still open to me. The world is open to me by the simple opening of a flap. How fortunate I am to be alive at this point in world history!

The name “Watson” is of course synonymous with the emergence of the computer. Thomas Watson was the head of IBM in its early days. It was he who is reputed to have made said in 1943 “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers”. If he said it, he was, of course, speaking of vacuum powered machines as big as a house. Far more significant was the statement of Ken Olsen in 1977 “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” I am thankful he was so wrong. It is for me literally a life saver.

In 1970 I gave an address to a conference on Bangalore in which I said “As we become more powerful in a technological sense so also responsibility for setting goals increases. If the Church believes that the ultimate significance of life in this world was demonstrated in Jesus of Nazareth then the Church not only “should” but “must” understand this responsibility. If this is true then worship should be the means by which the realities of our cybernetic society is presented to and experienced by humankind in meaningful terms.” And another leaf fell in the forest of our life together!

In the meantime I am very thankful for my faithful iPad. I might also be able to learn more of the philosophy of aging!