Novacene

The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Government, Public Policy, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy
Cover of the book Novacene by James Lovelock, The MIT Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: James Lovelock ISBN: 9780262357463
Publisher: The MIT Press Publication: August 2, 2019
Imprint: The MIT Press Language: English
Author: James Lovelock
ISBN: 9780262357463
Publisher: The MIT Press
Publication: August 2, 2019
Imprint: The MIT Press
Language: English

The originator of the Gaia theory offers the vision of a future epoch in which humans and artificial intelligence together will help the Earth survive.

James Lovelock, creator of the Gaia hypothesis and the greatest environmental thinker of our time, has produced an astounding new theory about future of life on Earth. He argues that the Anthropocene—the age in which humans acquired planetary-scale technologies—is, after 300 years, coming to an end. A new age—the Novacene—has already begun.

In the Novacene, new beings will emerge from existing artificial intelligence systems. They will think 10,000 times faster than we do and they will regard us as we now regard plants. But this will not be the cruel, violent machine takeover of the planet imagined by science fiction. These hyperintelligent beings will be as dependent on the health of the planet as we are. They will need the planetary cooling system of Gaia to defend them from the increasing heat of the sun as much as we do. And Gaia depends on organic life. We will be partners in this project.

It is crucial, Lovelock argues, that the intelligence of Earth survives and prospers. He does not think there are intelligent aliens, so we are the only beings capable of understanding the cosmos. Perhaps, he speculates, the Novacene could even be the beginning of a process that will finally lead to intelligence suffusing the entire cosmos. At the age of 100, James Lovelock has produced the most important and compelling work of his life.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The originator of the Gaia theory offers the vision of a future epoch in which humans and artificial intelligence together will help the Earth survive.

James Lovelock, creator of the Gaia hypothesis and the greatest environmental thinker of our time, has produced an astounding new theory about future of life on Earth. He argues that the Anthropocene—the age in which humans acquired planetary-scale technologies—is, after 300 years, coming to an end. A new age—the Novacene—has already begun.

In the Novacene, new beings will emerge from existing artificial intelligence systems. They will think 10,000 times faster than we do and they will regard us as we now regard plants. But this will not be the cruel, violent machine takeover of the planet imagined by science fiction. These hyperintelligent beings will be as dependent on the health of the planet as we are. They will need the planetary cooling system of Gaia to defend them from the increasing heat of the sun as much as we do. And Gaia depends on organic life. We will be partners in this project.

It is crucial, Lovelock argues, that the intelligence of Earth survives and prospers. He does not think there are intelligent aliens, so we are the only beings capable of understanding the cosmos. Perhaps, he speculates, the Novacene could even be the beginning of a process that will finally lead to intelligence suffusing the entire cosmos. At the age of 100, James Lovelock has produced the most important and compelling work of his life.

More books from The MIT Press

Cover of the book Voice Leading by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Minding the Weather by James Lovelock
Cover of the book The Shared World by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Dolphin Communication and Cognition by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Here/There by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Soft is Fast by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Making IT Work by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Designing Publics by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Embodiments of Mind by James Lovelock
Cover of the book The Synthetic Age by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Blowout in the Gulf by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Food by James Lovelock
Cover of the book The World Made Meme by James Lovelock
Cover of the book Digital Countercultures and the Struggle for Community by James Lovelock
Cover of the book The Outer Limits of Reason by James Lovelock
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy