Today, human civilization has arrived at a unique crossroad. Standing at this juncture and looking back at the past 3,000+ years of history, it is clear that the essence of the greatest human aspirations and achievements have been material in nature. While abstract thoughts have always been present, the focus had primarily been on matter large and massive structures of brick, mortar, and steel. As examples, the seven wonders of the ancient world, including the hanging gardens of Babylon and the Taj Mahal, and the modern day achievements including jumbo jets, space rockets, and tall skyscrapers, are all fundamentally material and tangible. In contrast, analysis of the incessant proliferation of computers and networks today clearly points to the following prediction for the future. Humankind's greatest and most noble aspirations, a thousand years from today, will inevitably be focused primarily on the abstract thoughts, concepts, and ideas of great depth distinct from the massive material objects of the past. While intangible and possibly transcending the known laws of physics, the abstract notions will be made possible by hardware, software, networks, and simulation. As an example, consider the ongoing transformation of paper-based letter and document correspondence, traditionally handled by the post office and private couriers, into electronic documents that are exchanged via e-mail attachments. Similar paradigm shifts are conceivable in the retail industry in the future where, instead of a store mailing out a physical product, say a wrist watch, the buyer would receive its blueprint through the network from which he or she would...