The long-running debate between Northwestern University economists Robert J. Gordon and Joel Mokyr on whether the economy can recapture its past growth continued during a recent interview with Knowledge@Wharton.

Gordon firmly believes that the major advancements made over the last two centuries, such as the switch from the candle to electricity, cannot be matched in the future. However, Mokyr believes that the best days of economic growth are still ahead of us.

Mokyr said this will be achieved through new innovations in science and technology. He highlighted gene editing tools which could possibly be used to create completely new forms of living beings as an example.

However, Gordon said that he believes productivity growth has slowed because the computer revolution has already had its main impact in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

“Ten years ago, the American office was pretty much set up the way it is now, with reliance on desktop and laptop computers,“ he said.

Mokyr disagreed, saying that thanks to the tools we have today, the possibilities for innovation are limitless.

“I can’t see how this is not going to result in a rapid acceleration of technological progress,” he said.

Listen to the entire interview at Knowledge@Wharton by clicking here.

[uam_ad id=”54865″]