I have read two of this Israeli’s previous books loaded with contrarian viewpoints-Sapiens and 21 Lessons For The 21st Century.” But somehow I had skipped this one. It is somewhat similar with a pile of insights of this futurist that almost seem like science fiction, but need to be taken seriously. He distinguishes between a soul, which he does not believe exists and a mind which he insists we share with many animals. In discussing the neuroscience of consciousness, he comes close to denying the existence of free will but does not use that term here. In a later Part 2, 21 page chapter, he emphatically denies its existence. After predicting elimination of war, (written before the Ukrainian and Gaza wars), famine and death, it seems he is predicting a fanciful utopia. But this is only Part I.
In a much darker Part 2, he relates many cautions and experiments that largely destroy this vision. “The sacred word ‘freedom’ turns out to be, just like the word ‘soul’ an empty term that lacks any discernible meaning. Free will exists only in the imaginary stories we have invented.” Then there is the problem of what we will do when sophisticated algorithms replace, doctors, lawyers, landlords and musicians. (For musicians, algorithms, already produce music indistinguishable from the classics.)
So many great quotes:
“ For the average American or European, Coca-Cola is a far more dangerous threat than Al Qaeda.”
“ …the single greatest constant of history is that everything changes.”
“The Bible could not imagine a scenario in which God repents having created Homo sapiens, wipes the sinful ape off the face of the earth, and then enjoys watching the antics of ostriches, kangaroos, and panda bears.”
“ We always prepare for the previous enemy, even when we face an entirely new menace.”
“ During our infinitesimally brief stay on our tiny speck of a planet, we fret and strut this way and that, and then are heard of no more.”
“ The greatest scientific discovery was the discovery of ignorance.”
One of the densest books about a wide range of topics from the nature of consciousness and the mind to the threats of AI to the biological sciences, this is nevertheless less an enjoyable read. The author challenges almost everything including the philosophy of Daniel Dennett, the humanist creed, and Sam Harris’ beliefs. It needs to be read with some skepticism and a grain of salt.
8/10.
Thanks, Book Bub.
The Passionate Reader 