How to Build a Mind : Dreams and Diaries

by Igor Aleksander

Igor Aleksander heads a major British team that has applied engineering principles to the understanding of the human brain and has built several pioneering machines, culminating in MAGNUS, which he calls a machine with imagination. When he asks it (in words) to produce an image of a banana that is blue with red spots, the image appears on the screen in seconds.

The idea of such an apparently imaginative, even conscious machine seems heretical and its advocates are often accused of sensationalism, arrogance, or philosophical ignorance. Part of the problem, according to Aleksander, is that consciousness remains ill-defined.

Interweaving anecdotes from his own life and research with imagined dialogues between historical figures -- including Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Wittgenstein, Francis Crick, and Steven Pinker -- Aleksander leads readers toward an understanding of consciousness. He shows not only how the latest work with artificial neural systems suggests that an artificial form of consciousness is possible but also that its design would clarify many of the puzzles surrounding the murky concept of consciousness itself. The book also looks at the presentation of "self" in robots, the learning of language, and the nature of emotion, will, instinct, and feelings.

Genres: Science, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Psychology

Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

Reviews

[Dan Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the creativity in the imaginary dialogues between the author and philosophers from the past. It's obviously intriguing to non-philosophers as a cartoon-like description of their ideas and tempers, but it's hardly insightful. The philosophical part is very disappointing because the author basically just rambles through the whole book from the Greeks to Wittgenstein. He touches some important issues at the end of the book but fails to develop further.
The value of this book lies within the history. As a scientist/engineer, he has lived through part of it and provides a vivid memoir of what happened and an accessible yet detailed explanation of his research.
I would recommend it to non-philosophers.

[Cole Butler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never talks about how to build a mind. Some interesting parts.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I found some of the personal narrative a bit off-putting the key question he puts forth is incredibly intriguing: What if we humans had been constructed from something other than what we are? How would we "feel" if we depended on say a battery rather than water and muffins for "life?" Empathy is a vital part of what makes us able to share experiences in incredibly deep and meaningful ways, but can we ever empathize with a form of "life" or "artificial biology" so foreign to our own? Hawking lamented back in the early 90's that the first artificial life humans created was a computer virus, Aleksander would disagree, it started with the first computers: we created them in the image of our own mind.

[Bernd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read, a mix between historic/scientific accounts of how machine intelligence evolved, with references to key players, like McCulloch, McCarthy, Minsky etc. and the philosophical perspective on machine consciousness (not just intelligence) balancing contemporary AI focus (which seems to be more technical or risk)

Unfortunately the author's overly philosophical focus at times got a bit carried away, such as the imaginary conversations with historic figures sprinkled throughout the book. Overall the book is generally readable, insightful, even 15 years after its original publishing. But you might have to do a bit jumping around to focus on the relevant prose, unless you like the fictitious narrative (that perhaps has been added to make it a lighter read?)

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am passionate about artificial intelligence (and recognize it's limitations). That being said, I found this an interesting read. Easy to finish in a day or two. Good reading if you're on a plane, train or commute (ride share). The topic of 'consciousness' remains with me long after completing the book. I also appreciate the human ability of 'imagination' now and can value creative talent much more as a result of this.

[Joseph Santiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me ask the question of what is consciousness and what would it mean to be thinking if I could be made of something other then flesh and blood. This book deconstructed a biological system into a chemical and electrical responsive system and then compared that to an artificial intelligence. What it means to have thought at that point did not seem so far fetched as how our brains allow us to understand our world and be aware. This was a good read.

Mr. Joe

[to'c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy. I had no idea this was going on. Part auto-biography, part historical fiction, part a discussion of how to build an imaginative mind. The only nit I would pick is that Mr. Aleksander knew his research a bit too well and some of his discussion assumed you do to. But that's not a reason to ignore this book! Just a reason to think a bit harder on what he's done and what he proposes. If you enjoy Kurzweil you'll enjoy this.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting introduction to the philosophical possibility of engineering artificially intelligent machines. explores historical philosophy viewpoints as it relates to a man-made mind. certain parts get boring when the author writes about his own experiences, but overall not a bad read.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cool philosophical discourse into the idea of machine consciousness. A little dragging at some points, and the chapters bounced around in a weird way, but it all came together in the end very nicely