The age of spiritual machines
Imagine a world where the difference between man and machine blurs, where the line between humanity and technology fades, and where the soul and the silicon chip unite. This is not science fiction. This is the twenty-first century according to Ray Kurzweil, the inventor of the most innovative and compelling technology of our era. In his inspired hands, life in the new millennium no longer seems daunting. Instead, it promises to be an age in which the marriage of human sensitivity and artificial intelligence fundamentally alters and improves the way we live. More than just a list of predictions, Kurzweil's prophetic blueprint for the future guides us through the inexorable advances that will result in: computers exceeding the memory capacity and computational ability of the human brain by the year 2020 (with human-level capabilities not far behind); relationships with automated personalities who will be our teachers, companions, and lovers; and information fed straight into our brains along direct neural pathways. Eventually, the distinction between humans and computers will have become sufficiently blurred that when the machines claim to be conscious, we will believe them. - Back cover.
Stats for nerds
13recommend
57mentions
50people
2008–2026years
25% recommend54% neutral21% critical
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- If you really want your mind blown look at how accurate Ray Kurzweil was from his 1999 book Age of Spiritual Machines
The most striking thing is that almost all of his missed predictions were missed not because the technology was not available, but because society rejected or didn’t adopt that technology
- I think it is.
I just struck me - would be fun to re-read The Age of Spiritual Machines (Kurzweil, 1999.) I was so into it 26-27 years ago. The amount of ridicule this man has suffered on HN is immense.
- “The Age of Spiritual Machines” by Ray Kurzweil.
- Ray Kurzweil has laid out a view on the future that has always been interesting and is feeling increasingly relevant. Incredibly, his prediction for AGI in 2029 seems... conservative? It's too bad this article refers to him as a "former Google engineer" and only bothers to cite a Youtuber talking about his books. He's a fascinating character, has been a prescient futurist for many decades, and his books are very readable - check them out! His big 3 are The Age of Intelligent Machines, The Age of Spiritual Machines, and The Singularity is Near. The last one is the most recent and popular, and is what I'd point people towards.
- Age of Spiritual Machines. Made me want to be a software engineer.
- 1. Incerto by Nassim Taleb
This is the first book that gave me a thorough insight into philosophy. Completely changed my worldview. I reread chapters from it everyday. It has become my bible. The Incerto strictly focuses on the practical applications of stoic philosophy.
2. All books by Dan Brown
The Dan Brown books got me in to reading for fun. While some people may regard his books as thrillers, I consider them hard science fiction. I owe him my reading culture.
3. The age of intelligent machines. 4. The singularity is near. 5. The age of spiritual machines. ... all the above by Raymond Kurzweil
These books introduced me to computer science.
Related
The Age of Intelligent Machines
4 recommend · 11
Transcend
2 recommend · 3
The Singularity Is Near
30 recommend · 123
The society of mind
60 recommend · 225
The emotion machine
16 recommend · 41
Artificial Intelligence
60 recommend · 153
The Soul of a New Machine
260 recommend · 538