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The Digital Mind: How Science Is Redefining Humanity
How developments in science and technology may enable the emergence of purely digital minds--intelligent machines equal to or greater in power than the human brain. What do computers, cells, and brains have in common? Computers are electronic devices designed by humans; cells are biological entities crafted by evolution; brains are the containers and creators of our minds. But all are, in one way or another, information-processing devices. The power of the human brain is, so far, unequaled by any existing machine or known living being. Over eons of evolution, the brain has enabled us to develop tools and technology to make our lives easier. Our brains have even allowed us to develop computers that are almost as powerful as the human brain itself. In this book, Arlindo Oliveira describes how advances in science and technology could enable us to create digital minds. Exponential growth is a pattern built deep into the scheme of life, but technological change now promises to outstrip even evolutionary change. Oliveira describes technological and scientific advances that range from the discovery of laws that control the behavior of the electromagnetic fields to the development of computers. He calls natural selection the ultimate algorithm, discusses genetics and the evolution of the central nervous system, and describes the role that computer imaging has played in understanding and modeling the brain. Having considered the behavior of the unique system that creates a mind, he turns to an unavoidable Is the human brain the only system that can host a mind? If digital minds come into existence--and, Oliveira says, it is difficult to argue that they will not--what are the social, legal, and ethical implications? Will digital minds be our partners, or our rivals?
340 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2017
19 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 1, 2017
According to the blurb, this book is a 'delightful romp through computer science, biology, physics and much else...' It certainly is no delightful romp. The Digital Mind is probably best described as an academic's idea of what a popular science book is like. The result is a strange mix of reasonably readable text with unnecessary academic terminology, some incomprehensible 'explanation' and even the incumbrance of inline references.
What Arlindo Oliveira sets out to do is certainly broad in sweep. He gives us background chapters on the development of electronics, computing, AI, cells, the brain and more, then brings them all together in a synthesis that examines the possibilities and implications of artificial minds, whether limited - for example, does Google have a kind of mind? - to being fully conscious. Without doubt there's a lot to interest the reader here, particularly once Oliveira gets to the synthesis part.
Of the introductory bits, not entirely surprising given Oliveira is a computer science professor, the computing parts probably work best. The biological parts seemed rather dull to read, and though there's plenty of material there, it certainly wasn't the best introduction to cells or the workings of the brain. However, the reader who persists will be rewarded with genuinely interesting material on how we should treat an artificial intelligence, what the implications of copying a digital intelligence are and so forth. Interestingly Oliveira did not regard the concept of a conscious AI as 'speculation' - he left that to the Singularity.
Perhaps the most worrying part was some not entirely accurate history of science. We are told 'Later in the nineteenth century, punched cards would be used in the first working mechanical computer, developed by Charles Babbage' - but unfortunately, they weren't, it was never built. We are also told a working version of Babbage's Analytical Engine was made in 1992 and is on display in the Science Museum - but it wasn't. That's a working version of his mechanical calculator, the Difference Engine (No 2) - not a computer. There's also an occasional tendency to hyperbole. 'I belong to the first generation to design, build, program, use and understand computers,' says Oliveira. That would make him of Alan Turing's generation - but the author doesn't look over 100 in his photo.
While the speculative part of the book (by which I mean all the AI stuff, not just the chapter on the Singularity labelled Speculations) is very interesting, it can be quite dismissive of others' views. Oliveira seems to have no time for Good Old Fashioned AI (he should have read Common Sense, The Turing Test and the Search for Real AI) and dismisses Roger Penrose's ideas of a quantum component to consciousness as making him an 'undercover dualist', which they surely don't.
Overall, then, fairly plodding (certainly no romping) in the introductory sections, but worth reading, if you are interested in AI, for the later sections and their stimulating ideas.
What Arlindo Oliveira sets out to do is certainly broad in sweep. He gives us background chapters on the development of electronics, computing, AI, cells, the brain and more, then brings them all together in a synthesis that examines the possibilities and implications of artificial minds, whether limited - for example, does Google have a kind of mind? - to being fully conscious. Without doubt there's a lot to interest the reader here, particularly once Oliveira gets to the synthesis part.
Of the introductory bits, not entirely surprising given Oliveira is a computer science professor, the computing parts probably work best. The biological parts seemed rather dull to read, and though there's plenty of material there, it certainly wasn't the best introduction to cells or the workings of the brain. However, the reader who persists will be rewarded with genuinely interesting material on how we should treat an artificial intelligence, what the implications of copying a digital intelligence are and so forth. Interestingly Oliveira did not regard the concept of a conscious AI as 'speculation' - he left that to the Singularity.
Perhaps the most worrying part was some not entirely accurate history of science. We are told 'Later in the nineteenth century, punched cards would be used in the first working mechanical computer, developed by Charles Babbage' - but unfortunately, they weren't, it was never built. We are also told a working version of Babbage's Analytical Engine was made in 1992 and is on display in the Science Museum - but it wasn't. That's a working version of his mechanical calculator, the Difference Engine (No 2) - not a computer. There's also an occasional tendency to hyperbole. 'I belong to the first generation to design, build, program, use and understand computers,' says Oliveira. That would make him of Alan Turing's generation - but the author doesn't look over 100 in his photo.
While the speculative part of the book (by which I mean all the AI stuff, not just the chapter on the Singularity labelled Speculations) is very interesting, it can be quite dismissive of others' views. Oliveira seems to have no time for Good Old Fashioned AI (he should have read Common Sense, The Turing Test and the Search for Real AI) and dismisses Roger Penrose's ideas of a quantum component to consciousness as making him an 'undercover dualist', which they surely don't.
Overall, then, fairly plodding (certainly no romping) in the introductory sections, but worth reading, if you are interested in AI, for the later sections and their stimulating ideas.
May 27, 2018
Tendo em conta a visão cinzentista que se tem dos académicos portugueses, é um pouco estranho ver um livro de índole tão especulativa escrito pelo atual presidente do IST. E editado pelo IST. Não que Mentes Digitais seja especialmente arrojado, na categoria de livros futuristas e trans-humanistas, é até bastante dócil nas suas visões. Lê-se como um conjunto alargado de apontamentos para aulas ou apresentações, levados da síntese a textos mais elaborados, que nos levam num périplo que começa nos primórdios da eletrónica, com a descoberta das leis do eletromagnetismo, e termina com as descoberta contemporâneas nos domínios da genética, bio-ciências e neurociências. A lógica é visível, o estabelecer de uma linha de continuidade de progresso científico que nos legou o corrente vislumbre, cujas possibilidades começam já a aparecer, de um futuro humano para lá do biológico, misturando informática avançada (robótica e IA) com virtualidades e transcendência do corpo humano. É nos dois capítulos finais que o autor se deixa ir mais longe, falando-nos de IA conscientes, ou digitalização da mente, formas de vida totalmente artificiais.
Não é uma leitura fácil. Apesar de uma forte inspiração conceptual na Ficção Científica, o mesmo não se traduz no estilo literário, muito dentro dos padrões académicos, com explicações longas e complexas. São necessárias para se compreender bem as questões de que o livro nos fala, mas sente-se que este está pensado para um público mais generalista, algo que não se reflete no estilo narrativo. Não deixa de ser provocante e interessante, bem como uma profunda lição sobre a evolução e momento contemporâneo de algumas áreas da ciência, sob uma perspetiva de potencial transcendência dos limites naturais através da tecnologia. Algo que, de fato, tem sido o motor do progresso humano, mas pela primeira vez nos oferece o potencial de ultrapassar as limitações biológicas.
Não é uma leitura fácil. Apesar de uma forte inspiração conceptual na Ficção Científica, o mesmo não se traduz no estilo literário, muito dentro dos padrões académicos, com explicações longas e complexas. São necessárias para se compreender bem as questões de que o livro nos fala, mas sente-se que este está pensado para um público mais generalista, algo que não se reflete no estilo narrativo. Não deixa de ser provocante e interessante, bem como uma profunda lição sobre a evolução e momento contemporâneo de algumas áreas da ciência, sob uma perspetiva de potencial transcendência dos limites naturais através da tecnologia. Algo que, de fato, tem sido o motor do progresso humano, mas pela primeira vez nos oferece o potencial de ultrapassar as limitações biológicas.
June 22, 2020
Arlindo Manuel Limede de Oliveira, é um académico, investigador e escritor português. Autor de mais de 150 artigos científicos e artigos em conferências e, de três livros: The Digital Mind, publicado pelo MIT Press e IST Press, Computer Architecture, publicado pela World Scientific e pelo IST Press e Inteligência Artificial, publicados pela Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos. Atualmente Professor Doutor do departamento de ciência e computação do Instituto Superior Técnico e diretor do INESC http://web.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/arlindo...
Esta obra está organizada em 12 capítulos, cada capítulo está fechado, mas entrecruza informações entre si, de forma ordeira e progressiva, que nos vão conduzindo ao raciocínio final, Mentes Digitais.
“A possibilidade da existência de um processo de bootstrapping, através do qual os sistemas inteligentes levariam a sistemas ainda mais inteligentes, num ciclo cada vez mais acelerado de autorreforço, é um dos fatores que levaram muitas pessoas a acreditar que no fim assistiremos a uma descontinuidade na forma como a sociedade está organizada. Tem-se chamado a essa descontinuidade singularidade tecnológica ou simplesmente singularidade. O termo refere-se a uma situação em que a evolução tecnológica conduz a uma evolução tecnológica cada vez mais veloz, num ciclo de rápida aceleração que termina numa mudança abrupta e radical de toda a sociedade. (p. 246).”
Para chegar a este paradigma de singularidade na sociedade, Oliveira fez um longo percurso, da genética à neurociência mostrou-nos as ruas por onde passa a informação na nossa mente, os neurónios e as sinapses que se retroalimentam sempre que processamos os dados.
Nos capítulos iniciais Arlindo Oliveira apresenta-nos, com algum detalhe, uma visão simplista da nossa biologia e das ciências da computação, comparando o cérebro humano ao computador, cujos princípios de funcionamento básico se assemelham com a arquitetura de Von Neumann.
Nos capítulos intermédios enfatiza a natureza da tecnologia, com maior detalhe para a tecnologia que permite observar e digitalizar o nosso cérebro, muitas vezes utilizado pela medicina como diagnóstico de problemas mentais.
Os dois últimos capítulos são dedicados ao futuro, após o professor Arlindo nos mostrar de onde partimos, onde estamos atualmente, servem estes capítulos últimos para olhar o futuro numa janela temporal alargada, cujo farol assenta na possibilidade de o ser humano conseguir criar Mentes 100% Digitais, embora hoje, não passe do campo da especulação.
Podemos dormir descansados, mais uns dias.
Esta obra está organizada em 12 capítulos, cada capítulo está fechado, mas entrecruza informações entre si, de forma ordeira e progressiva, que nos vão conduzindo ao raciocínio final, Mentes Digitais.
“A possibilidade da existência de um processo de bootstrapping, através do qual os sistemas inteligentes levariam a sistemas ainda mais inteligentes, num ciclo cada vez mais acelerado de autorreforço, é um dos fatores que levaram muitas pessoas a acreditar que no fim assistiremos a uma descontinuidade na forma como a sociedade está organizada. Tem-se chamado a essa descontinuidade singularidade tecnológica ou simplesmente singularidade. O termo refere-se a uma situação em que a evolução tecnológica conduz a uma evolução tecnológica cada vez mais veloz, num ciclo de rápida aceleração que termina numa mudança abrupta e radical de toda a sociedade. (p. 246).”
Para chegar a este paradigma de singularidade na sociedade, Oliveira fez um longo percurso, da genética à neurociência mostrou-nos as ruas por onde passa a informação na nossa mente, os neurónios e as sinapses que se retroalimentam sempre que processamos os dados.
Nos capítulos iniciais Arlindo Oliveira apresenta-nos, com algum detalhe, uma visão simplista da nossa biologia e das ciências da computação, comparando o cérebro humano ao computador, cujos princípios de funcionamento básico se assemelham com a arquitetura de Von Neumann.
Nos capítulos intermédios enfatiza a natureza da tecnologia, com maior detalhe para a tecnologia que permite observar e digitalizar o nosso cérebro, muitas vezes utilizado pela medicina como diagnóstico de problemas mentais.
Os dois últimos capítulos são dedicados ao futuro, após o professor Arlindo nos mostrar de onde partimos, onde estamos atualmente, servem estes capítulos últimos para olhar o futuro numa janela temporal alargada, cujo farol assenta na possibilidade de o ser humano conseguir criar Mentes 100% Digitais, embora hoje, não passe do campo da especulação.
Podemos dormir descansados, mais uns dias.
Read
December 3, 2017My interview with Dr. Oliveira about "The Digital Mind":
http://www.armenshirvanian.com/interv...
http://www.armenshirvanian.com/interv...
July 5, 2018
Eu diria um pouco técnico de mais para o público em geral. Mas um grande livro!
November 14, 2023
The best chapters of the book were the last two. The first few chapters talked about the basics of how computers work. There's some very confusing parts about Turning machines, which I did not really understand. I assume it was essentially like a difficult crash course on computer science, but with little support given for the reader's understanding.
After that we fly through genes, DNA and genomic sequencing. Again pretty technical and a little dry. Here I was asking myself why the disperancy? Why the massive break with the previous chapters. How does it all fit together?
After biology side, we fly through neuroscience and all the different ways we can scan brains to see how they work. In truth, I understood all the middle chapters were essentially all the hardest parts of whatever topic the author wanted to talk about for no apparent reason yet. Truthfully, I skipped through this later chapter because it was essentially dry with no real reason to understand it.
Who cares why MRI machines and the other crazy acronym machines work? In any case, the author seemed to want to make the explanation as difficult as possible, rather than making his goal to help the reader understand in the easiest way.
Finally we get to the last two or three chapters. The real reason why I picked up this book up.
Essentially, what is a digital mind. How could we make it? What would happened when we did? What about the "human rights" of a intelligent AI/digital mind that can easily pass the Turing test? What happens when humanity meets a superintelligent mind in the singularity? Can the singularity happen?
In theory, digital minds can speed up or slow down their own subjective reality according to the computer's processing speed and power. What about backup copies of digital minds? What happes if a digital mind is deleted? What happens if a digital mind murders somebody else (human or digital mind)? Does it get deleted? Does a backup of the digital mind get restored before the murder?
What about "mind uploading"? Could we make it work? What about nanotechnology and replacing biological brains with synthetic/artificial brains made out of silicon?
All these questions and discussion points are raised in the last two or three chapters. The real essence of the topic of the book. All bringing about "ghost in the shell" vibes. All bringing about "Seriel Experiments Lain" vibes.
Really, we didn't need to understand any part of the middle chapters to really appreciate the discussion points of the last two to three chapters. The only part of MRI machines we need to know was that, the brain imaging techniques are too blunt to accurately replicate neurones and their synapses.
Ok, great. Then say that and explain why. We don't need complicated primers on everything about MRI scanners, and Turing machines, and genetics, etc.
If the book was all about the last three chapters (ala Homo Deus or 21 lessons for the 21st century) I would have given the book five stars.
I was tossing between three stars and four stars. But I find that I did learn (really review) a lot of things I have learned in the past about transistors/computer chips, genetics, Turing test, Boolean logic, neuroscience, etc. I'm only giving four stars because the middle chapters are a good jumping off point into other books that give better information about the topics.
I'm not giving five stars because I feel like the middle chapters did not connect well enough with the first chapter or the last three chapters. I would have loved a book all about the questions raised above.
All my book reviews can be found at: www.flyintobooks.com
After that we fly through genes, DNA and genomic sequencing. Again pretty technical and a little dry. Here I was asking myself why the disperancy? Why the massive break with the previous chapters. How does it all fit together?
After biology side, we fly through neuroscience and all the different ways we can scan brains to see how they work. In truth, I understood all the middle chapters were essentially all the hardest parts of whatever topic the author wanted to talk about for no apparent reason yet. Truthfully, I skipped through this later chapter because it was essentially dry with no real reason to understand it.
Who cares why MRI machines and the other crazy acronym machines work? In any case, the author seemed to want to make the explanation as difficult as possible, rather than making his goal to help the reader understand in the easiest way.
Finally we get to the last two or three chapters. The real reason why I picked up this book up.
Essentially, what is a digital mind. How could we make it? What would happened when we did? What about the "human rights" of a intelligent AI/digital mind that can easily pass the Turing test? What happens when humanity meets a superintelligent mind in the singularity? Can the singularity happen?
In theory, digital minds can speed up or slow down their own subjective reality according to the computer's processing speed and power. What about backup copies of digital minds? What happes if a digital mind is deleted? What happens if a digital mind murders somebody else (human or digital mind)? Does it get deleted? Does a backup of the digital mind get restored before the murder?
What about "mind uploading"? Could we make it work? What about nanotechnology and replacing biological brains with synthetic/artificial brains made out of silicon?
All these questions and discussion points are raised in the last two or three chapters. The real essence of the topic of the book. All bringing about "ghost in the shell" vibes. All bringing about "Seriel Experiments Lain" vibes.
Really, we didn't need to understand any part of the middle chapters to really appreciate the discussion points of the last two to three chapters. The only part of MRI machines we need to know was that, the brain imaging techniques are too blunt to accurately replicate neurones and their synapses.
Ok, great. Then say that and explain why. We don't need complicated primers on everything about MRI scanners, and Turing machines, and genetics, etc.
If the book was all about the last three chapters (ala Homo Deus or 21 lessons for the 21st century) I would have given the book five stars.
I was tossing between three stars and four stars. But I find that I did learn (really review) a lot of things I have learned in the past about transistors/computer chips, genetics, Turing test, Boolean logic, neuroscience, etc. I'm only giving four stars because the middle chapters are a good jumping off point into other books that give better information about the topics.
I'm not giving five stars because I feel like the middle chapters did not connect well enough with the first chapter or the last three chapters. I would have loved a book all about the questions raised above.
All my book reviews can be found at: www.flyintobooks.com
September 27, 2017
Artificial intelligence from a mostly historical and philosophical perspective. The book starts off by describing artificial intelligence, electronics, and computing, and how it's been pursued in history up until today. Then, there's a deep dive into the basic building blocks of life, the cell, and describing how information is contained in DNA and transferred through the nervous system via neurons. This is the basis for describing how a digital mind can be created by imitating the biological functions through computational power. The author describes ethical situations that may arise when a truly artificial human mind can be created, but it seems like a lot of science fiction of copying minds and pasting them into machines. The end of the book gets very speculative, as warned by the author through the title of the last chapter, and is not what I was looking to read about. However, I guess anything's possible if/when singularity is reached.
I'd recommend this to anyone interested in the historical biological philosophical approach toward a "digital mind" or artificial intelligence, but there isn't much substance related to technical specifics of artificial intelligence, for those looking for that.
I'd recommend this to anyone interested in the historical biological philosophical approach toward a "digital mind" or artificial intelligence, but there isn't much substance related to technical specifics of artificial intelligence, for those looking for that.
September 18, 2018
"Armed with a better understanding of computers, biological systems and brains, let us now proceed to the central question that is the main topic of this book : will we be able to create digital minds?"
That is page 218, the last sentence of chapter 9. But wait! First come 5 pages about different definitions of what could be called "a mind" and then :
"With this ontology of minds, we can now try to answer the central question of this book : What types of digital minds ... will, in the coming decades, emerge from the workings of intelligent programs running in digital computers?"
So, if anyone is attracted by the book's (large) subtitle : How Science is Redifining Humanity, you are about to be thoroughly disappointed about the lack of discussion on that topic. Actually, the book does not even answer the 2 questions raised by the author above in the remaining 40-50 pages.
Perhaps this book is interesting for scholars, but as an ordinary reader this book is utterly disappointing and a waste of time.
That is page 218, the last sentence of chapter 9. But wait! First come 5 pages about different definitions of what could be called "a mind" and then :
"With this ontology of minds, we can now try to answer the central question of this book : What types of digital minds ... will, in the coming decades, emerge from the workings of intelligent programs running in digital computers?"
So, if anyone is attracted by the book's (large) subtitle : How Science is Redifining Humanity, you are about to be thoroughly disappointed about the lack of discussion on that topic. Actually, the book does not even answer the 2 questions raised by the author above in the remaining 40-50 pages.
Perhaps this book is interesting for scholars, but as an ordinary reader this book is utterly disappointing and a waste of time.
November 12, 2019
If humans ever thought of handing over the power of intelligence to the robots, then, the difference would be between mortal and immortal.
Some estimate the human civilization to extend to around 11,000 years. If machine learning was invented during those era, wont it be nice that some of the immortal 11,000 year old grannies or grandpas would be there to guide us all along. Instead of some crooks on the power seat threatening to push " the button " to end the world.
Some estimate the human civilization to extend to around 11,000 years. If machine learning was invented during those era, wont it be nice that some of the immortal 11,000 year old grannies or grandpas would be there to guide us all along. Instead of some crooks on the power seat threatening to push " the button " to end the world.
July 21, 2018
Excellent comprehensive analysis of the aspects surrounding the evolution and possible future of artificial intelligence. To note also is the well documented references that open up a plethora of books with great insights. For all these aspects I think this is a recommended read.
June 24, 2018
A book about digital minds and the future.
Want to read
August 20, 2018Será que o cérebro humano, dito inteligente, é o único capaz de albergar essa mesma inteligência? Seremos capazes de criar mentes digitais que mimetizem cérebros humanos? E que mentes digitais serão essas? Parceiras, concorrentes? Como evoluiremos a partir daqui?
Este livro é uma viagem pela expansão tecnológica, as leis dos campos eletromagnéticos de Maxwell e a evolução do número de transístores nos microprocessadores prevista por Moore, que culmina na economia da internet e do mundo digital. São explicados o computador, a inteligência artificial e o cérebro humano, fazendo emergir o paralelo cérebro humano–máquina (será explicado pela Origem das Espécies de Darwin?). Esta é uma leitura em português que recomendo a todos os que refletem filosófica e empiricamente sobre o futuro do ser humano e das máquinas.
Este livro é uma viagem pela expansão tecnológica, as leis dos campos eletromagnéticos de Maxwell e a evolução do número de transístores nos microprocessadores prevista por Moore, que culmina na economia da internet e do mundo digital. São explicados o computador, a inteligência artificial e o cérebro humano, fazendo emergir o paralelo cérebro humano–máquina (será explicado pela Origem das Espécies de Darwin?). Esta é uma leitura em português que recomendo a todos os que refletem filosófica e empiricamente sobre o futuro do ser humano e das máquinas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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