Scan barcode
novabird's review against another edition
1.0
Renowned inventor Kurzweil (The Age of Spiritual Machines) may be technology's most credibly hyperbolic optimist. Elsewhere he has argued that eliminating fat intake can prevent cancer; here, his quarry is the future of consciousness and intelligence.
Humankind, it runs, is at the threshold of an epoch ("the singularity," a reference to the theoretical limitlessness of exponential expansion or what is called in physics an 'event horizon,') that will see the merging of our biology with the staggering achievements of "GNR" (genetics, nanotechnology and robotics) to create a species of unrecognizably high intelligence, durability, comprehension, memory and so on. The word "unrecognizable" is not chosen lightly: wherever this is heading, it won't look like us.
Kurzweil's argument is necessarily twofold: it's not enough to argue that there are virtually no constraints on our capacity; he must also convince readers that such developments are desirable. In essence, he conflates the wholesale transformation of the species with "immortality," for which read a repeal of human limit. In less capable hands, this phantasmagoria of speculative extrapolation, which incorporates a bewildering variety of charts, quotations, playful Socratic dialogues and sidebars, would be easier to dismiss. But Kurzweil is a true scientist—a large-minded one at that—and gives due space both to "the panoply of existential risks" as he sees them and the many presumed lines of attack others might bring to bear.
What's arresting isn't the degree to which Kurzweil's heady and bracing vision fails to convince—given the scope of his projections, that's inevitable—but the degree to which it seems downright plausible.
Humankind, it runs, is at the threshold of an epoch ("the singularity," a reference to the theoretical limitlessness of exponential expansion or what is called in physics an 'event horizon,') that will see the merging of our biology with the staggering achievements of "GNR" (genetics, nanotechnology and robotics) to create a species of unrecognizably high intelligence, durability, comprehension, memory and so on. The word "unrecognizable" is not chosen lightly: wherever this is heading, it won't look like us.
Kurzweil's argument is necessarily twofold: it's not enough to argue that there are virtually no constraints on our capacity; he must also convince readers that such developments are desirable. In essence, he conflates the wholesale transformation of the species with "immortality," for which read a repeal of human limit. In less capable hands, this phantasmagoria of speculative extrapolation, which incorporates a bewildering variety of charts, quotations, playful Socratic dialogues and sidebars, would be easier to dismiss. But Kurzweil is a true scientist—a large-minded one at that—and gives due space both to "the panoply of existential risks" as he sees them and the many presumed lines of attack others might bring to bear.
What's arresting isn't the degree to which Kurzweil's heady and bracing vision fails to convince—given the scope of his projections, that's inevitable—but the degree to which it seems downright plausible.
cristiangarcia's review
4.0
I hear about this book years ago, but I only decided to buy it after a very successful job interview in which most of the conversation delve around this book. I bought the book after the conversation (I knew fairly enough about the singularity before reading the book) and I just finish reading it one year into my new role, because yes, I got the job offer.
Now that I’ve read the book I don’t know how come I didn’t do it before. The book starts a bit technical and then the rollercoaster goes into something that resembles futurism and even science fiction, just to slow down at the end and evaluate the reality from an ethical and philosophical perspective.
What I like the most about the singularity is how relevant it remains and all the doors that it opened to me. I went into other books and some podcasts (like some futuristic conversations with Joe Rogan). At the end, the book made me thought a lot and question many things I deal with at work and how those things are coming into our day to day lives.
Now that I’ve read the book I don’t know how come I didn’t do it before. The book starts a bit technical and then the rollercoaster goes into something that resembles futurism and even science fiction, just to slow down at the end and evaluate the reality from an ethical and philosophical perspective.
What I like the most about the singularity is how relevant it remains and all the doors that it opened to me. I went into other books and some podcasts (like some futuristic conversations with Joe Rogan). At the end, the book made me thought a lot and question many things I deal with at work and how those things are coming into our day to day lives.
yates9's review
4.0
A key book in the trans-human philosophical development: Ray Kurzweil unleashes the thesis that by 2032 we would hit a point of no return with respect of machine intelligence. The book is a must read even if much of it is subject to discussion.
Philosophically the most interesting aspect is that computational power is automatically aligned with intelligence and with sustainable existence. While many of the discussions since this work note how coexistence with general AI might be impossible, that exponential growth may damage the environment, that intelligence in the true sense should account for all other conscious versions of itself.
Philosophically the most interesting aspect is that computational power is automatically aligned with intelligence and with sustainable existence. While many of the discussions since this work note how coexistence with general AI might be impossible, that exponential growth may damage the environment, that intelligence in the true sense should account for all other conscious versions of itself.
kouverk's review
1.0
Don't read this book.
There’s no more motivation for the main premise of this book, that humans will "transcend biology" expediently, than its stating of the fact that the acceleration of exponential growth is exponential. (Yawn)
While its depiction of the future was often entertaining, more often than not it was painstaking and repetitive. And again, was more than lacking in a substantial motivation.
OVERRATED
There’s no more motivation for the main premise of this book, that humans will "transcend biology" expediently, than its stating of the fact that the acceleration of exponential growth is exponential. (Yawn)
While its depiction of the future was often entertaining, more often than not it was painstaking and repetitive. And again, was more than lacking in a substantial motivation.
OVERRATED
danielwestheide's review
2.0
It took me ages to finish this book. While there was some interesting stuff in here, a lot of it is really repetitive and/or outdated by now.
bryce_is_a_librarian's review
4.0
Tired of sleeping peacefully? Do you feel a bit to contented and secure as you go about your daily business? Has your overwhelming sense of anxiety and ennui drifted to a mere background drone rather then an overpowering howl?
Then dear friends this is the book for you! Guaranteed to make you weep softly in the night as you clutch your knees to your chest! Certified to make you stop showering! Neglect your loved ones and friends because damnit what's the point!!?!?! Darkly contemplate your razor as you shave and wonder if you should indeed should just end the charade.
If the current state of technology has you feeling a bit ambivalent, wait a decade or so when if half the shit in this book turns out to be correct people will become freaking demigods.
Now if you'll excuse me I have to go build a bomb shelter and make sure my crates of pork and beans, shot gun shells, and distilled water has arrived.
Then dear friends this is the book for you! Guaranteed to make you weep softly in the night as you clutch your knees to your chest! Certified to make you stop showering! Neglect your loved ones and friends because damnit what's the point!!?!?! Darkly contemplate your razor as you shave and wonder if you should indeed should just end the charade.
If the current state of technology has you feeling a bit ambivalent, wait a decade or so when if half the shit in this book turns out to be correct people will become freaking demigods.
Now if you'll excuse me I have to go build a bomb shelter and make sure my crates of pork and beans, shot gun shells, and distilled water has arrived.
rifledoc1's review against another edition
3.0
In “The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology” Ray Kurzweil presents the ambitions and optimistic thesis that in the near future human intelligence will be surpassed by that of machine intelligence. Kurzweil’s predictions differ form others who have hypothesized that one day the machines will “take over” by convincingly arguing that instead, machine and artificial intelligence of the future represents the next, and most significant, step in human evolution. This evolutionary leap will in turn quickly let human based intelligence spread throughout the universe bringing with it almost unimaginable benefits to a human kind vastly different from that of today. The singularity, the point when biological humans are surpassed by superior machine and artificial intelligence based humans, is facilitated by the continued exponential growth of technology. Specifically the technologies of genetics, nano-technology, and robotics. Kurzweil gives detailed scientifically grounded explanations of how these technologies result in the singularity in only around fifty years from now, and explains the many benefits to human kind that result of the singularity. Kurzweil also does a commendable job also explaining the possible negative side effects of the singularity, as well as presenting the prevailing counter augments to his ideas. This was an audio book read for me, but I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I had read it in a paper or e-book format. This is because Kurzweil used a good deal of charts, graphs, and formulas to explain his main points. While these were available online, for me accessing them was not practical since I usually listened as I drove to and from work. All in all, Kurzweil provides a compelling argument that if anything will make you think differently about what the future may hold.
Whey read this book. This book was recently added to the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ Professional Reading List in the intermediate officer category. While Kurzweil touches on how warfare could be effected by the singularity, the book is not about war or war fighting. However, in my opinion, I think it is on the Commandant’s reading list, and worth reading by military professionals, because it makes you think seriously about how technology is, and could change, not only the character of war, but perhaps it nature. The exponential growth in technology presented by Kurzweil is if anything another wake up call that warfighters need to realize the pace at which technology is evolving and be able to evolve with it in order to maintain a warfighting edge. If the singularity happens in the manner Kurzweil predicts, staying ahead of technology not enough though. Warfare would fundamentally change. The nature of war would shift from the use of violence to impose your will to the use of information to impose your will. That would be a difficult paradigm shift to make, but if it were to come to pass, those that could not make the shift would not succeed. While it might seem far fetched, we can see at least the start of a move in importance of information as a weapon. Cyber warfare and information operations writ large are rapidly becoming more and more critical capiblities for all military services around the globe, and after reading this book I think the warfighter who dismisses the importance of technology and information in future war does so at their own peril. (Audio book read).
Whey read this book. This book was recently added to the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ Professional Reading List in the intermediate officer category. While Kurzweil touches on how warfare could be effected by the singularity, the book is not about war or war fighting. However, in my opinion, I think it is on the Commandant’s reading list, and worth reading by military professionals, because it makes you think seriously about how technology is, and could change, not only the character of war, but perhaps it nature. The exponential growth in technology presented by Kurzweil is if anything another wake up call that warfighters need to realize the pace at which technology is evolving and be able to evolve with it in order to maintain a warfighting edge. If the singularity happens in the manner Kurzweil predicts, staying ahead of technology not enough though. Warfare would fundamentally change. The nature of war would shift from the use of violence to impose your will to the use of information to impose your will. That would be a difficult paradigm shift to make, but if it were to come to pass, those that could not make the shift would not succeed. While it might seem far fetched, we can see at least the start of a move in importance of information as a weapon. Cyber warfare and information operations writ large are rapidly becoming more and more critical capiblities for all military services around the globe, and after reading this book I think the warfighter who dismisses the importance of technology and information in future war does so at their own peril. (Audio book read).