QI: The Quest for Intelligence [Paperback]

Kevin Warwick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2001

Dr. Kevin Warwick is deeply critical of techniques used to measure human intelligence, in particular IQ tests. He believes these are both flawed and outdated. He has developed an entirely new theory, which proposes a universal view of intelligence, within which human, animal and even artificial intelligence are united for the first time. Challenging and controversial, QI will stimulate widespread argument and discussion. * Brings ideas on intelligence up to date and aligns them with the world in which we now live * Overturns much current thinking on intelligence * Reveals how IQ testing has been misused in the past, including how the US used low IQ scores as a basis for 'voluntary' sterilisation and rejection of refugees from Nazism * Examines the intelligence of animals, machines and robots, and considers the ways in which they are more intelligent than humans * Includes results of a special survey which shows how foods, drinks, television and other factors affect 'IQ' test results

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Kevin Warwick is Professor of Cybernetics at Reading University * He is the author of March of the Machines which sold over 20,000 copies in hardback and received excellent reviews * He lectures widely in the UK and overseas * Dr. Kevin Warwick is one of the UK's leading authorities on robotics and artificial intelligence and is regularly featured in the media.

Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Chartered Inst of Pers/Develop (August 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749922303
• ISBN-13: 978-0749922306
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,819,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Humbling read..., July 1, 2004

By 

"silvrmesh" (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: QI: The Quest for Intelligence (Hardcover)

A book that doesn't so much define as begin to redefine the definition and parameters of human, animal and machine intellgence.

Mr. Warwick compares and touches on all three entities' capabilities, functions and consciousness but does not denote one group over the other. And further breaks down intelligence by narrower aspects ie nature vs nuture, evolution, testing, abnormalities, culture, gender, etc and their findings. Amongst his many points, he states that intelligence defined in a single dimension is inconclusive and should rather be measured in multi-dimensional planes or a full hemisphere to show a more accurate representation of different types of intellgence and its overall bearing on an entity. In his opinion, it is unfair or irrelevant to make any type of comparison or judgements based on one-dimensional IQ tests between genders, or different ethnicities since these tests are usually culturally biased. And the ramificaitions of doing so have been shown in the past. He speculates on the possible scope of AI (animal and/or artificial intelligence) and in doing so illustrates that there is so much we don't know nor can fathom by being human and not having the same perspective of the other entities.

Personally, I enjoyed this book that reads more like a long essay than a novel. I give Mr. Warwick credit for drawing up arguments that in the past has been dismissed due to ego and ignorance. His conclusions on what the world may be like when machines can compete against humans on more than one plane draws a sinsiter and maybe unpleasant future but the development of science and technology also paves way for a hybrid of human and machine intellgence that may help in the cause.