The Age of Thinking Machines/ Ray Kurzweil. Translated from English: Bat Sheva Menas. Kinneret Publishing House, 575 pages, NIS 79
Arie is a pharmacist
Can machines really think? Can machines imitate intelligence?
human and even surpass it? This question has been in sharp debate for about 30 years. the book
I enthusiastically support a positive answer to this question. According to his vision, this century will rise
The intelligence of machines - computers - is superior to that of humans. Machines will build good machines
More than the humans who created them in the first place. Because it is a vision, the author is not
can prove it directly, but with a series of examples and arguments based on knowledge
Its very extensive. For example: the computer playing chess and defeating the world champion; connecting computer
musical compositions; A computer ("Aharon") draws wonderful pictures, which cannot be distinguished
between them and human creations.
The basic test in this subject, called in science the general name of artificial intelligence,
It is the "Turing Test", named after the scientist Alan Turing, one of the most prominent in the field
The invention of the modern computer. This test states that we determine that machine intelligence is equivalent to intelligence
the human, if a group of human judges would in no way be able to identify
that the entity that provides answers to questions, or different products (such as a painting or a creation
musically), is not human but a "thinking machine". A machine passing the test
Turing can be considered to have her own intelligence.
The book is full of dialogues between "someone" and the author. Without the author saying so, obviously
These are dialogues created by artificial intelligence, and their purpose is to show that we are indeed
Data in doubt about the identity of the author: is it a human or artificial entity.
Indeed, the question is whether a machine can reach a higher level of intelligence than the one embedded in it
is not simple at all, and there are seemingly strong arguments in favor of the author's position. for example,
Recently there was a story about a robot that ran away from the showroom. This may not have been the case
So fascinating if it weren't for the fact that the robot builders didn't build any software that teaches how to plan an action
such a It seems as if an internal evolution took place in the robot and it caused it to develop
own wisdom. Such an example can support the basic thesis of the book.
moreover. The author claims not only that his claim is correct, but that it cannot be stopped
This cart, and for this purpose formulates a special law, which he claims replaces "Moore's Law". Moore's Law
For computers states that the capacity of computers doubles every two years. within ten
For years, Moore's Law is supposed to lose its validity. Then, says the author, a "law" will come into effect
The accelerated returns", which he himself formulated. This law underlies the insight that
That technological development will not stop, machines will replace human reason.
Machines will build machines. Humans will begin to use this intelligence by replacing the
Their brains are in the brain of a machine. All this, the author says, will happen until the end of the twentieth century
and one.
If so, the debate about artificial intelligence is not an academic debate. According to the author
This could have far-reaching effects on the future of humanity. I was not convinced.
The book was originally written in 1999, when the new millennium caused the creation of a presentation
Imaginary of some completely new world lurking around the corner. Meanwhile, everything
As last year. One of the recommendations on the back of the book is that of the chairman of Nasdaq. The recommendation has been written
When the Nasdaq was at the level of 5,000 points... to teach you, that it is impossible to predict the future,
And according to Rabbi Yochanan, since the destruction of the Temple, a prophecy has been given to fools or babies of
Beit Raban.
The vision presented by the book is reminiscent of the imaginary story about the computers that build computers
Sophisticated, and those build even more sophisticated computers, so much so that the planners
The originals no longer know how to create computers themselves. In any case, it is also clear that there is not in the world
You could calculate on your own. And here, in a remote place in the world is a boy who declares that he knows
Multiply numbers on your own. This news is causing a huge sensation, and from all corners
The world flocks to witness this wonder. The discovery of the child causes a renewed development of
The lost human reason. If this is the case, I am optimistic. The author's vision is not
It seems to me, not in terms of its truth, nor in terms of its value to the world. I would really like to hope
If this catastrophe does happen (in my opinion), and machines start to replace the species
the human, a nine-year-old boy will stand him up and put the wheel back.
The beautiful and appropriate cover, designed by David Kedem, shows an image of a girl who is half human
And half of it consists of electronic circuits. According to the author, we are in a period
that the reality in it still consists of humans and machines, but in his opinion it probably is
Only a temporary reality. A shadow of the machine, on the cover, increasingly takes over the image
The enlightened human, and you don't know who is what.
I once heard a story about a man who persuaded his friend to buy a motorcycle: "It's something unbelievable.
You start the motorcycle in Tel Aviv, and within ten minutes you are at Petah Tikva!" Made
The friend, as he said, bought a motorcycle, and indeed, everything is true, within ten minutes he was at the door
hope. The next day, he came and confirmed that he had checked, and the claim was true. But, he has one question: what
Is it necessary to do Petah Tikva? Without offending Petach-Tekkoim, and some of my good friends are like that,
I allow myself to ask "What does humanity have to do in Petah Tikva?" What is she for?
To rule over herself a pupa that rose from its creator? Herzl, in his story "Solon in Lydia", stated
The answer: the invention must be killed while it is still alive. The author, as mentioned, claims that no
It can be done.
The book is interesting but too long. And yet, the translation of Bat Sheva Menas and the scientific advice
of Dr. Zamir that Lithuania provided us with a good product in Hebrew that does not deviate from the original
the english
Ray Kurzweil The Age of Spiritual Machines
Aryeh Rokah is a software engineer
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