"The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology", gives us a preview of what awaits us in the future. The focus of the book is on a technological-evolutionary point known as the "Singularity". According to Kurzweil, because of the law of accelerating returns, technology is progressing toward the singularity at an exponential rate.
He believes that the human brain can be simulated by computers and will be done in the near future, thus leading to artificial intelligence. He adds that medical advancements should keep the current generation alive long enough for the exponential growth of technology reach the Singularity and the point where machines can outperform the processing of the human brain.
The book also discusses six epochs of how information is stored, each epoch being characterized by the major paradigm shift that takes place after each one.
Epoch 1. Physics and Chemistry: This epoch began with the creation of the universe; information was mostly held in subatomic structures such as particles and atoms.
Epoch 2. Biology and DNA: This epoch describes the beginning of life on Earth. Simple organisms stored information in DNA, from which they were able to grow and adapt.
Epoch 3. Brains: The third epoch involved the creation of a central nervous system that came about as a result of the evolution of life. Organisms were then able to change their behavior and learn from past experiences. Information in this epoch was stored in neural patterns.
Epoch 4. Technology: The fourth epoch was a culmination of the evolution of the brain, which produced the human. In this stage, humans are able to create technology which are also subject to evolution. Information is held in hardware and software designs. This is the epoch that is currently occurring.
Epoch 5. The Merger of Human Technology with Human Intelligence: The fifth epoch, which is the point that Kurzweil anticipates will be known as the Singularity, is one where technology reaches a level of sophistication that allows biology and technology to merge to create higher forms of life and intelligence.
Epoch 6. The Universe Wakes Up: The final epoch of human evolution, once we master the fields of biology and technology, our human/machine (or Cyber sapiens) civilization will "expand its frontiers into the universe, gradually consuming the contents of the cosmos until the universe reaches a 'saturated' state where all inanimate matter has been converted to substrates for computation and intelligence, and a truly universal super-intelligence takes form."
Buy a copy of the book at the Cyber Sapiens Online Store!
No comments:
Post a Comment