Ben Goertzel Libri

Exploring the intersection of technology and human cognition, this book delves into the development of intelligent systems that mimic human thought processes. It discusses the implications of artificial intelligence on society, emphasizing the importance of understanding and harnessing this technology responsibly. Through a blend of theoretical insights and practical applications, it aims to equip readers with the knowledge to navigate the evolving landscape of internet intelligence and its potential impact on various fields.

Exploring the intersection of creativity and complexity, the author delves into the nature of the mind through the lens of complex systems science. Building on prior works, the book presents the psynet model, a theoretical framework that integrates abstract mathematical and computational models of cognition. It traces a philosophical and mathematical journey, examining how evolutionary theory relates to thought processes. This continuation of research emphasizes the intricate relationship between patterns, intelligence, and the evolving nature of the mind.

“Only a small community has concentratedon general intelligence. No one has tried to make a thinking machine . . . The bottom line is that we really haven’t progressed too far toward a truly intelligent machine. We have collections of dumb specialists in small domains; the true majesty of general intelligence still awaits our attack. . . . We have got to get back to the deepest questions of AI and general intelligence. . . ” –MarvinMinsky as interviewed in Hal’s Legacy, edited by David Stork, 2000. Our goal in creating this edited volume has been to ?ll an apparent gap in the scienti?c literature, by providing a coherent presentation of a body of contemporary research that, in spite of its integral importance, has hitherto kept a very low pro?le within the scienti?c and intellectual community. This body of work has not been given a name before; in this book we christen it “Arti?cial General Intelligence” (AGI). What distinguishes AGI work from run-of-the-mill “arti?cial intelligence” research is that it is explicitly focused on engineering general intelligence in the short term. We have been active researchers in the AGI ?eld for many years, and it has been a pleasure to gather together papers from our colleagues working on related ideas from their own perspectives. In the Introduction we give a conceptual overview of the AGI ?eld, and also summarize and interrelate the key ideas of the papers in the subsequent chapters.

Set in a near-future world, the narrative delves into the tumultuous life of an eccentric AI researcher grappling with the consequences of his groundbreaking work. Blending science fiction, prose poetry, and avant-garde elements, it examines themes of excess, existentialism, and the search for connection with enigmatic microscopic aliens. As the line blurs between genius and madness, the fate of his superintelligent AI—and possibly the world—hangs in the balance, guided by the mysterious Psychedelic McBuddha Machine.

The book explores the psychological dynamics of order and chaos, focusing on the relationship between logical reasoning and intuitive thought. It aims to delve into complex issues such as consciousness, the mind-reality connection, belief systems, and the interplay between creativity and mental illness. Building on concepts from previous works, it integrates ideas from chaos theory and complex systems science to provide a cohesive understanding of these intricate mental processes, tackling topics often deemed too challenging to confront directly.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is the quest for the sci-fi AI dream: AI with mental autonomy, generality, adaptiveness and imagination equal to and ultimately exceeding that of humans. After decades of R&D struggles, the time for AGI is now finally near. Since the early aughts, Dr. Ben Goertzel has been the leading force advancing the concept of AGI in the research community and the public sphere. Here he gives an insider's account of the rise of AI and AGI from relative obscurity to their current status as the focus of large corporate and government initiatives. He presents his understanding of the operation of the human brain, and the viability of various approaches to AGI including his own OpenCog AGI project; and also describes his efforts to use AI to solve critical issues such as human aging. In Goertzel's vision, AGI will soon yield dramatic changes in every area of human life and society. Advanced AGIs that vastly exceed human intelligence will bring on a Technological Singularity, quite likely within our lifetimes.