Difference between revisions of "Darwin Among the Machines: The Evolution of Global Intelligence"
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Opening sentences: "This is a book about the nature of machines. It is framed as history but makes no claim to have separated the fables from the facts. Both mythology and science have a voice in explaining how human beings and technology arrived at the juncture that governs our lives today" (p. xi; "Preface: Edge of the World"). | Opening sentences: "This is a book about the nature of machines. It is framed as history but makes no claim to have separated the fables from the facts. Both mythology and science have a voice in explaining how human beings and technology arrived at the juncture that governs our lives today" (p. xi; "Preface: Edge of the World"). | ||
| + | In his review of 30 September 1998, Tal Cohen notes | ||
| + | • The main idea suggested by George Dyson in this book is simple: In the digital universe, too, a conscious mind will evolve naturally, rather than as the result of some design. Artificial Intelligence researches might as well spend their time searching for signs of intelligence on the net rather than try to develop it. [* * *] | ||
| + | • Dyson’s main claim is that the evolution of a conscious mind from today’s technology is inevitable. It is not clear whether this will be a single mind or multiple minds, how smart that mind would be, and even if we will be able to communicate with it. He also clearly suggests that there are forms of intelligence on Earth that we are currently unable to understand.[http://tal.forum2.org/darwin] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Note this book's appearance about the same time as, but without citation to, Vernor Vinge's 1993 essay, "[[The Coming Technological Singularity]]." | ||
Revision as of 20:43, 22 January 2022
WORKING
Dyson, George b. Darwin Among the Machines: The Evolution of Global Intelligence. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books (Helix), 1997. To be perhaps studied with, but not to be confused with, Samuel Butler's essay, "Darwin Among the Machines."
Opening sentences: "This is a book about the nature of machines. It is framed as history but makes no claim to have separated the fables from the facts. Both mythology and science have a voice in explaining how human beings and technology arrived at the juncture that governs our lives today" (p. xi; "Preface: Edge of the World").
In his review of 30 September 1998, Tal Cohen notes
• The main idea suggested by George Dyson in this book is simple: In the digital universe, too, a conscious mind will evolve naturally, rather than as the result of some design. Artificial Intelligence researches might as well spend their time searching for signs of intelligence on the net rather than try to develop it. [* * *] • Dyson’s main claim is that the evolution of a conscious mind from today’s technology is inevitable. It is not clear whether this will be a single mind or multiple minds, how smart that mind would be, and even if we will be able to communicate with it. He also clearly suggests that there are forms of intelligence on Earth that we are currently unable to understand.[1]
Note this book's appearance about the same time as, but without citation to, Vernor Vinge's 1993 essay, "The Coming Technological Singularity."
RDE, finishing, 21Jan22
