A. Weiszmann 2008-10-13

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

As a true Futurist , Ray Kurzweil really reaches out to the future of knowledge and AI. His predictions that computers will increasingly take over routine human functions ends up where computers will outstrip humans by 2030. It sounds a bit daunting but fear not computers will be made safe until one named HAL comes along sometime later.

His chart showing how the rate of change is accellerating is right on target. Unfortunately global warming could fall into that prediction. As human knowledge doubles every few years now we can expect some really fantastic things to happen. Be ready for some real, excitement ahead. The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

Greg Hadaller 2008-09-13

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Very interesting. Author has thought a lot about the topic -- not just surface-level hype that is so common nowadays. But the text drags in some chapters. I'd like to see around 100 of the 500 pages cut out.

James Ridgway 2008-08-30

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Brilliant is the best word to describe this work. Kurzweil has brought the future into something of a focus with this amazing look into the future. What really makes this work is that you can't 'see' exactly what the future will be even though he brings you further along than you have been. We can't see past the singularity - it will be something amazing - but we cannot truly conceive of what will be.
This will change the way you view our world and the future of our race.

Robert Shearrer 2008-08-20

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

In my opinion, this is an exceptional book. I was astonished to read some of the criticisms it has received on amazon.com. I truly could not put this book down. The depth of the subjects covered is great. For anyone who is interested in futurism, this should be on your bookshelf.

First of all, the author is an extremely accomplished man. Chances are you use one of his inventions everyday. Kurzweil was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, received thirteen--yes, thirteen--honorary doctorates, the National Medal of Technology, the Lemelson MIT Prize (the world's largest award for innovation), and awards from three US Presidents. This makes me more than comfortable when reading this book.

I very much enjoy books of this nature, but have never encountered a book such as this; with every claim and prediction, Kurzweil provides more than ample evidence to support himself. Reading this book was an intellectual revolution.

Some of the criticisms I read about this book on amazon.com stated that the book lacked emotion and was quite dry. I couldn't disagree more. I find it impossible to be without emotion when discussing the things Kurzweil touches on and noticed no apathy in his writing. At times, his writing was quite humorous; the dialogue of a fictional character named Molly with various other characters at the end of every chapter was very entertaining.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It will truly change your outlook on the human civilization and its future. I plan to read it again and again.

21st Century Sanity Man 2008-08-13

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent description of how the universe seems to be progressing from the simpler to the more complex.

Perhaps, also a metaphor of how what age we live in changes our perspective of how we view the evolution of the universe and the intelligence that is spawned.

In the old industrial era, it was thought that civilization would increase it's usage of energy, building Dyson spheres.

In the new information age, it seems that the vision is about a "Singularity Wave" speeding out to convert as much of the matter in the universe into the most efficient materials to process exponentially increasing information and intelligence.

I believe the basics are, as best as I can tell, very good and I enthusiastically embrace his humanistic (and post or trans humanistic) philosophy.

Only a couple of things which I might differ on, and that would be..

1. Not much mention of quantum computing. That would represent the absolute manifestation of Richard Feynman's "Plenty of Room at the Bottom", and in the case of quantum computing, the bottom of a potentially unlimited, 5Th dimensional matrix of alternate world-lines to employ. Much better than dealing with the delays of linking together multi-billion light year networks.

2. Because of the above, and also the "s" curve of population growth in post agricultural/industrial/hyper-industrial-info civilization, there may well be a trillion or so "Singularity" worlds out there, many within a few hundred light years from Earth.

These worlds may send small probes, perhaps with super intelligent entities to explore, but wouldn't need any more resources than exist in their native solar system.

Futurism is an imperfect art, and many of Kurzweil's prognostications will probably unfold in different ways from what is expected, but I fully embrace a vision of this new world unfolding to the benefit of conscious life on Earth.