From the inventor of the PalmPilot comes a new and compelling theory
of intelligence, brain function, and the future of intelligent
machines
Jeff Hawkins, the man who created the PalmPilot, Treo smart phone, and
other handheld devices, has reshaped our relationship to computers. Now
he stands ready to revolutionize both neuroscience and computing in one
stroke, with a new understanding of intelligence itself.
Hawkins develops a powerful theory of how the human brain works,
explaining why computers are not intelligent and how, based on this new
theory, we can finally build intelligent machines.
The brain is not a computer, but a memory system that stores experiences
in a way that reflects the true structure of the world, remembering
sequences of events and their nested relationships and making
predictions based on those memories. It is this memory-prediction system
that forms the basis of intelligence, perception, creativity, and even
consciousness.
In an engaging style that will captivate audiences from the merely
curious to the professional scientist, Hawkins shows how a clear
understanding of how the brain works will make it possible for us to
build intelligent machines, in silicon, that will exceed our human
ability in surprising ways.
Written with acclaimed science writer Sandra Blakeslee, On
Intelligence promises to completely transfigure the possibilities of
the technology age. It is a landmark book in its scope and clarity.
