The Path to Posthumanity: 21st Century Technology and Its Radical Implications for Mind, Society and Reality [Hardcover]

Ben Goertzel (Author), Stephan Vladimir Bugaj (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2006 | ISBN-10: 193090195X | ISBN-13: 978-1930901957

This work describes the near future technologies and scientific changes that will effect human life in the next 25 years. Artificial 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 developed: 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.

Academica Press is an independent scholarly press specializing in publishing monographs and reference material in the humanities and social sciences. We are particularly interested in producing works of scholarly interest English language studies, literary history and criticism ,drama, sociology, education and Irish studies. (Our dedicated imprint, Maunsel & Co., specializes in scholarly research in Irish studies.) We have recently developed projects in African and Afro-American research areas as well as Theology and Legal Studies.

Some select areas where we publish include:

-American 19th- and 20th-Century Language and Literature
-British 19th- and 20th-Century Language and Literature
-Irish Studies
-African Studies and African-American Studies
-Law, including Sports Law
-Higher Education
-English Church History

Product Details

• Hardcover: 593 pages
• Publisher: Academica Press (May 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193090195X
• ISBN-13: 978-1930901957
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,231,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars In some ways the best intro in book form to Singularity-related concepts September 1, 2007

By J. Fox

Format:Hardcover

This popular-science book has received less attention that it deserves. It is in some ways the best intro to Singularity-related concepts around.

Kurzweil's best-selling The Singularity Is Near is of course excellent. It presents detailed quantitative and qualitative arguments for the Singularity as accelerating change, most likely to be based on emulating the human brain.

But Goertzel and Bugaj excel at presenting the perspective on the Singularity as recursively improving intelligence, most likely to be built with computer systems using an understanding of the theory of intelligence.

They also consider in far more depth than Kurzweil, or indeed than any formally published work, the question of Friendliness -- whether a rapidly self-improving super-human intelligence can stay concerned for not wiping out humanity while on its way to achieving the goals it was originally set.

The book gives a window into the working processes of Goertzel, a leading representative of the pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence on the path to the Singularity.

One chapter in the book provides the guilty pleasure of a gossip column, with insights into the activities and personalities of some leading thinkers in the rush towards our promising yet frightening future.