The second part covers the present state of computational sciences, brain research and artificial intelligence applications, this is the empirical part of the book. The book is clearly written for a wide audience. Its style is rather vernacular and its appearance glossy in the most literal sense. Although the chapters are well documented and the list of suggested readings is extensive, I have doubts as to whether its content is substantive enough to be of interest to the professional and scientific community for anything other than a good thought-provoking read. The golden age of cybernetics saw people like Herbert Simon, Marvin Minsky and Karl Steinbuch make similar claims.
Computation is the essence of order.
It provides the ability for a specie to respond in a variable and appropriate way to its environment. Technology is the next phase in the overall evolutionary process. Computational technology is also an evolutionary process, and also builds on its own progress. Hence, by their sheer computational power, computers will ultimately succeed mankind as the highest form of life. Ray Kurzweil is one of the leading practitioners of the artificial intelligence movement.