The human brain possesses certain abilities that are lacking in the brains of other animals. It is these distinct capabilities that account for our species' dominant position. Other animals may have stronger muscles or sharper claws, but we have more intelligent brains.

If mechanical brains one day surpass human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become very powerful. Just as the fate of gorillas now depends more on us humans than on themselves, so too will the fate of our species depend on the actions of mechanical superintelligence.

But we have an advantage: we can make the first move. Will it be possible to create an initial AI or in some other way design the initial conditions for a viable intelligence explosion? How could a controlled explosion be achieved?

To approach an answer to this question, we must traverse an exciting landscape of topics and thoughts. Read the book and learn about visions, genies, monotonicity; about boxing methods, safety threads and thought crimes; about humanity's cosmic gift and differentiated technological development; about indirect normalcy, the gathering of tools, comprehensive brain reproduction and technological combinations; about Malthusian economics and dystopian evolution; about artificial intelligence and biological enhancement of intelligence, and collective intelligence.

This deeply ambitious and original book carefully traverses an extensive area of challenging intellectual material. Yet, the writing is so clear that it seems to make everything easy. After an utterly captivating exploration that leads us to the borders of thought regarding the human condition and the future of intelligence, we find in Nick Bostrom's work nothing less than a reassembly of the essential task of our time.

Pages: 432, Dimensions: 13x13cm