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On Intelligence (平装)
by Jeff Hawkins, Sandra Blakeslee
| Category:
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Science, Non-fiction |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
MSL price:
¥ 158.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
This mind expanding book delivers a new and compelling theory of intelligence, brain function, and the future of intelligent machines. |
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AllReviews |
1 2   | Total 2 pages 12 items |
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Richard Lipkin, Scientific American (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
This book and my life are animated by two passions," writes Hawkins in On Intelligence. Those passions are mobile computing and brains. This curious combination becomes less puzzling when one realizes that Hawkins is a founder not only of two leading mobile computing companies - Palm Computing and Handspring - but also of the Redwood Neuroscience Institute in Menlo Park, Calif., which explores memory and cognition. Hawkins contends that the human brain and intelligence have little in common with today’s computing systems. Therefore, he offers his perspective on artificial intelligence, neural networks, cognition, consciousness and creativity, with the goal of explaining the mind. The book is elegantly written with Blakeslee, a veteran science writer for the New York Times. At its core, the book puts forth Hawkins’s "memory- prediction framework of intelligence" - a model of cognition positing that the main function of the human neocortex, and the basis of intelligence, is to make predictions. The brain constantly compares new sensory information with stored memories and experiences and combines the information to anticipate the future. In essence, as we wander around, we build a reserve of information from which we construct an internal model of the world. But we constantly update that model. When we see a friend wearing a new hat, the brain automatically predicts what that person ought to look like and contrasts that prediction with the new sensory rendering, updating its model. Brain prediction "is so pervasive," Hawkins says, "that what we ‘perceive’... does not come solely from our senses." The continuous interplay of sensory input, memory, prediction and feedback - which occurs instantly through parallel processing in the neocortex - ultimately gives rise to consciousness and intelligence. "Correct predictions," Hawkins contends, "result in understanding." Hawkins argues that creativity and imagination emerge from prediction as well. Imagination utilizes a neural mechanism to transform predictions into a form of sensory input - which is why our fantasies have such a strong "feel." Moving on, Hawkins says that true machine intelligence will arise only if it is rooted in the same principles as brain-based intelligence. By the book’s end, Hawkins proffers a "comprehensive theory of how the brain works," of "what intelligence is," and of "how your brain creates it." He acknowledges that many aspects of his theory have been developed by other scientists and that his role is to weave a comprehensive explanation. As such, this book provides some provocative thoughts on how the brain and the mind may actually function. |
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James D.Watson (president, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory & Nobel laureate in Physiology) (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
On Intelligence will have a big impact; everyone should read it. In the same way that Erwin Schrödinger's 1943 classic What is Life? made how molecules store genetic information then the big problem for biology, On Intelligence lays out the framework for understanding the brain. |
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Malcolm Young (neurobiologist and provost, University of Newcastle) (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
Brilliant and imbued with startling clarity. On Intelligence is the most important book in neuroscience, psychology, and artificial intelligence in a generation. |
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John Doerr (partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers) (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
Read this book. Burn all the others. It is original, inventive, and thoughtful, from one of the world's foremost thinkers. Jeff Hawkins will change the way the world thinks about intelligence and the prospect of intelligent machines. |
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Aaron Dykstra (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
On Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins, is a book that rethinks the way we think in an attempt to further define why computer scientist and mathematicians have had trouble creating artificial intelligence. But the book goes further than that, by explorer the human consciousness that defines our intelligence. One of the primary proofs that Jeff puts forth is that our computers today run at nearly 3 GHz and yet cannot produce the same results as a computer at image recognition, sound recognition, or any other form of pattern analysis, and yet the human brain can run about 100 MHz (as defined by mathematical computation).
Jeff postulates that our mind is wired for patterns partly because we are always predicting what stimulus will come next. We see lightening, so our brain anticipates hearing thunder. We hear a siren so we anticipate seeing an ambulance or fire truck. Many of his ideas have a good deal of merit from my non-expert level opinion because it gives us another way to attack the problem of pattern analysis, which could lead to better disease analysis, weather prediction, or other problem solving activities. I highly recommend this to dabblers in expert systems and like as well to those that are interested in neocortex of the brain. |
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Laubre Martin (MSL quote), Estonia
<2006-12-30 00:00>
This book is excellent! And intriguing.
The writers main goal is to explain how human brain works. And he does that well! Every word in this book makes sense. Based on huge amount of examples he surprises with the elegant outcome. The writer also claims that the computer science in general is lost on its track towards artificial intelligence. Computers with the architecture today cannot reach much higher goals of intelligence. As IT-developer, I totally agree: until we continue building Turing machines, the information systems are stuck with tremendous amount of information with no proper use (think about Internet).
So, while making intriguing, even revolutionary assertions, writer maintains pragmatic and humorous writing style and good contact with reader. And he succeeds to make himself totally clear.
It is good reading even though you may not be into science; who wouldn't be interested to know what human thinking is about! |
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Stephen Witham (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
It's just about the right time for a framework to hang our knowledge and questions about human intelligence onto. Hawkins makes a good attempt. I find that a lot of my scattered knowledge and ideas fit onto his framework and a lot of questions become clearer. If the framework sharpens open questions that's good; if current or coming knowledge shows his framework is wrong in small or big ways, that'll be good too. Having this straw man will help keep attention on how things fit together. Just the idea that it's really as simple as he says is challenging.
The writing style aims a little low. At first the book reads as if it will be on a vague popular level without any interesting technical detail or arguments. But after a chapter or two it does get into the nitty-gritty, without being too technical for a layman up to speed on the basics.
These are the main ideas (which he doesn't claim to have originated): The neocortex is what's important. It's organized into a fixed hierarchy of areas with more or less fixed relationships between areas. All the areas follow the same "algorithm," although the tuning varies between areas. The center of the book describes his guesses about the algorithm and how it's wired.
He uses the words "memory" and "prediction" to describe what the cortical algorithm does, and that interferes with his main message that it is more general than that, covering both static and temporal relationships, linear and branching relationships, focused perception and directed action. I recommend making up your own terms for the top-down, bottom-up and sideways processes he's talking about and substitute as you read.
He almost entirely neglects two important things: goal- directedness or backward chaining, and recursive structures (in which, e.g., a sentence can include a sentence, or a prepositional phrase can contain a prepositional phrase). Still I've found it very interesting to try to fit these into or onto his model. Maybe they actually aren't handled by the basic design of the neocortex. Goal-seeking may enter by training from below and pushing from the sides, and recursion may be an exceptional hack (self-looped layers? reification of relationships? a separation into blackboard and manager? echoing off the thalmus?).
If Hawkins fails to mention large areas of research, I think it's because of his sharp focus. He often seems to be describing selected pieces of work he knows more about. I was finally quite impressed with the book. |
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Mark Davidson (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
I went through this book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. As someone working in the computer field I found it very interesting providing lots of food for thought. It is easy reading. It is not an in depth look at artificial intelligence but an overview. I found it fascinating.
His logic makes sense to me at least in comparison to many of the other AI articles and books I have read. For example I have read many times that when computer power becomes equivalent to the human brain in processing power we will have comparable artificial intelligence. This just does not make sense to me because even if we cluster hundreds of super computers together and give them 300 years to complete something a human can do in 2 seconds the computers still cannot do it. I don't believe one human has billions of times more hardware power than 100's of super computers unless we are using quantum brains which is a small possibility. The problem most likely isn't hardware it is the strategies the AI engineers are using. I have to agree with the author on this point.
All the authors' ideas may not prove to be 100% correct but I don't believe he claims them to be.
The book has got me thinking and got me excited about AI. What more could I ask for? More detail and being a programmer I wish there was at least one example in code.
Overall I recommend this book as an interesting introduction to AI.
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Terry Schurter (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
I bought this book because of a general interest in human behavior, patterns and intelligence. I have often struggled with verbalizing the differences between how computers and people "think" - and I hoped this book would shed some light on that.
Well it did - but it did a lot more.
Now, this is the kind of material that can either spur the imagination or lay in your belly like 3-day old chili. Of course, that also depends on how (and if) the material connects with you.
The primary point of the book is the presentation of a general intelligence theory based on scientific study of the human brain for the purposes of moving forward the basic scientific principles behind the creation of intelligent machines. Well, I for one am not involved in the creation of intelligent machines however, I see the limitations of current computing technology every single day - as I am an industry analyst for enterprise software.
Regarding the theory itself, I found much of the material had a strong intuitive sense of correctness. Not sure how else one could judge this as it is theoretical. I am convinced that this book did shed clear light on my belief that traditional computing and software will not get us there - that what is needed is an entirely different approach. Jeff presents one that certainly seems plausible.
However, the big takeaway for me was the self-discovery this book triggered for me. On Intelligence has significantly changed my understanding of myself, my behavior, actions, reactions and how I perceive the world. But not everyone will get this from this book, so if you read it with expectation of self-revelation but don't get any don't be surprised.
The ramifications of much of what is presented in this book as it applies to me (I know, that was not the stated intent of the book) are still swirling about - and will be doing so for a very long time.
I have made this book a gift to friends and many have had similar response to mine - but some of not. For people like me, this is an absolute must read. If you read it and don't get much from it then you have learned one thing - you are definitely not like me! |
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Virginia Campbell (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-30 00:00>
Back in 1977 Carl Sagan's Pulitzer Prize winning Dragons of Eden introduced us to Reptilian brain and the revolutionary idea that most of our brain is much older than humankind. Hawkins takes this fascinating subject to the next level by asking what it is that the neocortex, that part of the brain that only mammals possess, does. Just like Sagan, his speculations give us a new way of looking at ourselves and what it means to be an intelligent being.
He comes to the subject with a unique background that combines inside knowledge of how computers work with a lifelong passion for understanding the brain. This enables him to explain his ideas in a way that is approachable to all readers.
His explanations of how artificial intelligence and neural networks fail to consider what brains "really do" is very valuable. Finally he makes a convincing argument that intelligence should be measured, not by behavior, but by the ability to make predictions.
His "theory" may not pan out in all its details but he makes an important contribution by looking at the subject from a productive point of view. Also, the book is a wonderful introduction to how the neocortex functions. It is true that he does not go into the philosophical implications of his ideas, but he admits outright that he is not a philosopher.
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1 2 | Total 2 pages 12 items |
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