The Path to Posthumanity: Aspects Of Near-Future Science And Technology

by Ben Goertzel

This work describes the near future technologies and scientific changes that will effect human life in the next 25 years. Artifical intelligence is a major theme of this book as is computing and biotech. The author argues we are in a transitional period in which the major changes of the next quarter century are only barely genome research, human enhancement, computer to computer research, bioinformatics to mention only a few. The author has a qualitative paradigm of what lies ahead and what the AI community can contribute to shaping and creating a world in which both rich, developing and poor nations can benefit. His “posthumanity” posits machine to machine intelligence with potentially positive results for mankind.

284 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2006

Reviews

[Cal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that the more I read, the more I disliked. At first I thought it was good because it was really readable and pretty easy to understand, given the content. I picked it mainly for the big chapter on AI. But after that point, the ideas just got weirder and weirder, and I got really sick of them treating religion like a four letter word. I feel like they are oblivious to the actual culture of an individual, like they sit at their computers all day and don't actually interact with people. I live in one of the most progressive areas of the country, and even here we have a LOT of people who would never consider cranial jacks. I can only imagine the reaction of the rest of the country. So to think that this could possibly happen in their lifetime is just hilarious. Most of the world in these generations do not share their excitement. And that is what I feel like they aren't getting...



It was worth reading just because I realized I don't actually want to work with AI and have to interact with people like this on a daily basic....

[Stephan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be better if they'd put my name, as I am the co-author, on the friggin' cover -- and if they'd charged a reasonable enough price for it that anyone ever bought it.