By: Henry Brighton Publisher: Totem Books Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Totem Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 175 Publication Date: January 25, 2008
Product Description: Can machines really think? Is the mind just a complicated computer program? Half a century of research into Artificial Intelligence has resulted in machines capable of beating the best human chess players and humanoid robots that can walk and interact with us. Yet exactly should we go about building a truly intelligent machine? Introducing Artificial Intelligence focuses on the major issues behind one of the hardest scientific problems ever undertaken.
Amazing Book! This was the first real book I read on the topic of Artificial Intelligence, and I must say...the best. This books topics are not outdated at all, it completely applys to current studies. This is an amazing book for a good introduction into the topic, and mainly covers the philosophical side of creating intelligent and conscious artificial beings; explaining all sides of the issue in a incredibly information pakced and detailed cartoon format. A very good book, after reading it twice I finally understood the underlying principles of AI. If your interested in Ai I'd also recommend the other Introducing book on Consciousness, which gives a detailed description into the materialist, dualist, and mysterian views on consciousness and the formation of a theory of conscioussness, whos philosopical ideas is realted to AI.
Not a technical introduction... This book is not a technical introduction to AI. The book is targeted at people with no technical or computing expertise, and does not have enough depth to be of value to anyone interested in AI from a technical angle.
That said, it would be great as an introduction to someone like my wife (a nurse).
I wish I had read the reviews on this book before purchasing it, but I did get to look at the cool drawings in this one!
An introduction of an introduction This book is intended for a young audience... Avoid buying it in case you take the subject seriously. On the other hand, if you just want to have an overall idea of what IA is, it's ok.
Thought, Consciousness and Understanding (oh my!) This is a very light weight read on the subject that discusses the history of the slow and not certain advancement of the concept of what Artificial Intelligence is or will be.
As a person that is new to the subject I enjoyed the format -- lots of illustrations.
I was amazed to learn how inter-disciplinary the topic is. The book draws from the perspectives of psychology, mathematics, computer science, biology, and philosophy. Before starting the book, I was personally hoping to get an introduction to computer science tools (neural networks, Bayesian network etc.) that make up modern AI. However, I believe I am better off for starting with a book that helped me better understand that there is more to AI than computer science.
Yet another fascinating book in the "Introducing..." series Coming from a Computer Science background, but only having been exposed to AI via science fiction, the most interesting thing I learned while reading Introducing Artificial Intelligence was the distinction between the two major schools of thought in AI research: "strong AI," or those who believe machines can be made to think like humans or better, and "weak AI," those who seek further knowledge about natural intelligence through the use of artificial simulations of intelligence, but don't seek to create sentient thought in machines. Based solely on the descriptions of artificial intelligence that I've encountered in popular culture, it's never explicitly stated but always tacitly assumed that with sufficiently advanced technology, machines can be made to think. As this book discusses, this is not a universally acknowledged truth, but rather there is much disagreement among AI scientists as to whether this feat is even possible.
Some interesting history of AI research is covered, including the idea of Turing machines, and the robot "Shakey" who could perform simple tasks in a simplified environment, but ultimately failed to adapt when his surroundings became unfamiliar. Toward the end of the book, more recent developments are touched on, such as robot designs based on insects and robots who can negotiate more complex "real world" environments.
Overall a quick and interesting read like I've found most of the "Introducing..." books to be.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
