Available:*
Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000003933466 | QA76.9 P38 1996 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
On Order
Summary
Summary
This volume discusses the implications of teaching our computers and robots to think. The authors, a paleontologist and an artificial intelligence guru, team up to present some of the sociological, theological, and scientific issues that we will face in the 21st century. Over 150 years ago Darwin realized that evolutionary change is the driving force in our universe. The text considers how Darwin failed to appreciate how fundamentally the evolution of science and technology will change not only our world, but our very minds - and how soon it may happen.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
This fascinating book by two well-known scientists, one in biology and the other in computers, is a preview of the computer technology of the 21st century resulting from the so-called "CyberEvolution." Based on futuristic thinking of the authors, it is in many respects in agreement with the views of a number of famous scientists and philosophers. The authors argue that computing power, neuroscience, and nanotechnologies are advancing so rapidly that they will continue to produce the most significant evolutionary developments since the origin of life itself. The authors hypothesize that although a computer cannot be designed to fully replicate a human brain, in the 21st century it will come quite close to this ideal. They discuss in detail the process of "CyberEvolution," which will make this a reality, and they hypothesize that such computers will be more efficient than humans. Associated with the advent of such powerful thinking machines are some of the most interesting sociological, technological, and scientific dilemmas humankind will ever face. The book is written lucidly, and anyone with some background in science and computers will find it very interesting. Useful list of related books. A must for academic as well as public libraries. All levels. P. K. Basu; Vanderbilt University
