How to Create a Mind The Secret of Human Thought Revealed [Paperback]

The bold futurist and bestselling author explores the limitless potential of reverse-engineering the human brain

Ray Kurzweil is arguably today’s most influential—and often controversial—futurist. InHow to Create a Mind, Kurzweil presents a provocative exploration of the most important project in human-machine civilization—reverse engineering the brain to understand precisely how it works and using that knowledge to create even more intelligent machines.

Kurzweil discusses how the brain functions, how the mind emerges from the brain, and the implications of vastly increasing the powers of our intelligence in addressing the world’s problems. He thoughtfully examines emotional and moral intelligence and the origins of consciousness and envisions the radical possibilities of our merging with the intelligent technology we are creating.

Certain to be one of the most widely discussed and debated science books of the year,How to Create a Mindis sure to take its place alongside Kurzweil’s previous classics which includeFantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live ForeverandThe Age of Spiritual Machines.“Kurzweil's vision of our super-enhanced future is completely sane and calmly reasoned, and his book should nicely smooth the path for the earth's robot overlords, who, it turns out, will be us.”
—The New York Times
 
“Kurzweil writes boldly and with a showman’s flair, expertly guiding the lay reader into deep thickets of neuroscience.”
—Kate Tuttle,Boston Globe
 
“This book is a breath of fresh air . . . . Kurzweil makes an argument for optimism.”
—Laura Spinney,New Scientist
 
“A fascinating exercise in futurology.”
—Kirkus Reviews
 
“It is rare to find a book that offers unique and inspiring lS×