The Most Human Human

What Talking with Computers Teaches Us About What It Means to Be Alive

By: Brian Christian

Narrated by: Brian Christian

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

The Most Human Human is a provocative, exuberant, and profound exploration of the ways in which computers are reshaping our ideas of what it means to be human. Its starting point is the annual Turing Test, which pits artificial intelligence programs against people to determine if computers can “think.” Named for computer pioneer Alan Turing, the Tur­ing Test convenes a panel of judges who pose questions—ranging anywhere from celebrity gossip to moral conundrums—to hidden contestants in an attempt to discern which is human and which is a computer. The machine that most often fools the panel wins the Most Human Computer Award. But there is also a prize, bizarre and intriguing, for the Most Human Human. In 2008, the top AI program came short of passing the Turing Test by just one astonishing vote. In 2009, Brian Christian was chosen to participate, and he set out to make sure Homo sapiens would prevail. The author’s quest to be deemed more human than a com­puter opens a window onto our own nature. Interweaving modern phenomena like customer service “chatbots” and men using programmed dialogue to pick up women in bars with insights from fields as diverse as chess, psychiatry, and the law, Brian Christian examines the philosophical, bio­logical, and moral issues raised by the Turing Test. One central definition of human has been “a being that could reason.” If computers can reason, what does that mean for the special place we reserve for humanity?

©2011 Brian Christian (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"THE MOST HUMAN HUMAN is immensely ambitious and bold, intellectually provocative, while at the same time entertaining and witty – a delightful book about how to live a meaningful, thriving life." (Alan Lightman, author of Einstein’s Dreams and Ghost)

"A book exploring the wild frontiers of chat-bots is appealing enough; I never expected to discover in its pages such an eye-opening inquest into human imagination, thought, conversation, love and deception. Who would have guessed that the best way to understand humanity was to study its imitators?" (David Eagleman, author of Sum and Why The Net)

"This is a strange, fertile, and sometimes beautiful book. It has been said that man creates images of himself, then comes to resemble the images. Something like this seems to be going on with the computer. Brian Christian writes with a rare combination of what Pascal took to be two contrary mindsets: the spirit of geometry and the spirit of finesse. He takes both the deep limitations and halting progress of artificial intelligence as an occasion for thinking about the most human activity - the art of conversation." (Matthew B. Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft)

Quirky, poetic, definitely enjoyable

I feel a bit guilty only giving this four stars (not five), but I have to make it consistent with my grading scale. This book is unquestionably enjoyable. It is definitely a refreshing perspective, a very thoughtful exploration. Startlingly poetic.

But, not particularly "meaty", in my opinion. That is, it doesn't delve into computer science - it's mostly anecdotal in its narrative. Nevertheless, highly entertaining.

Intimate knowledge. Razor sharp mind. Superb.

Fascinatimg insights. Weaves through the landscapw and literature. Enriched by experience that adds to colourful stories.

Fascinating

This book was well researched, wide ranging, well organized, full of new ways to draw conclusions and make connections, and utterly fascinating. I am a computer scientist and mathematician and I love to see how theories and algorithms apply across genres - art, compression, literature, entropy, text games, chess, and of course The Turing Test. I am definitely left with a greater sense of what humanity is, and what it is not, and I feel inspired to become a more human human.

such a great book to listen to!

I don't think I've ever read a book about geeky stuff so deeply human. It is both interesting and beautiful. I recommend it!

Not just about AI

Awesome read. Not just about AI (though you can pick up lots if computer science jargon), but about language, philosophy, life... Lots of interesting discussions, though I'm slightly disappointed that in the end he merely related the results of the Turing test, and offered no transcript. I think it would have been fun, after learning about the strengths and weaknesses about programming bots and characteristics of computer vs human conversations, to read and see for ourselves if we could judge or pick up on nuances that help distinguish a bot's response from a human's. Left me with an optimistic kind of feeling though, like I want to go out and absorb reality in its fullest and live as unique, un-anonymous and "incompressible" a life as I can.

Human Psychology 4.0

This is a MUST read for anyone interested in AI or, for that matter, pure human psychology. Christian (who, by the way, does a fine job of narrating!) presents, with StevenPinkeresque style and wit, the reasons why the computer, as it becomes stronger and stronger in the ways of logic and computation, ironically becomes farther removed from us rather than more like us. He helps to shake away the still clinging prejudices left over from the Age Of Reason and makes us aware that being a "creature-computer interface" is not such a bad thing, that the emotional, "irrational" part of us is a good bit of what makes us---well, us! All of this in a rich tapestry of science, case histories and personal anecdotes which makes for a very enlightening and enjoyable read. This is the best writing on the human mind I have read since Pinker's How The Mind Works, which would serve as a great companion to this book.

Sidenote: 10/8/2012 I took on several on of noted on-line bots, like Cleverbot and A.L.I.C.E., and was not at all impressed. They might be able to fake surface small talk or even argue (as long as it is in insult and not in reasonable debate)--but sustaining conversation on a topic, wondering, showing genuine insight or awe--I would never mistake them for a human at the other end.

When computing meets humanity.

Would you listen to The Most Human Human again? Why?

Definitely. The book specially gains momentum in the second half with some extremely thought provoking essays and insights into the realm of artificial intelligence and what computing holds for us in future.

What other book might you compare The Most Human Human to and why?

Information. Though I prefer The Most Human Human more than information. This book is about a human struggle to define his humanity against computing. Its more philosophical in nature too.

What about Brian Christian’s performance did you like?

I loved his intonation and pauses. His grasp over the subject matter seemed complete. He navigated the complex terrain of computer science with remarkable poise.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Most Human Human.

Any additional comments?

A great read of people involved with technology. This book offers some beautiful essays into the nature of technology and how AI may unfold in future. But yeah, it is a little slow in the beginning but gain momentum in the second half.

interesting topic

Would you listen to The Most Human Human again? Why?

I would not listen to The Most Human Human again. I ordered this book because I wanted to find out what the human experience would be like as the one competing against a machine in the Turing test. The book had a lot of background information like Eliza and Parry, which I was already familiar with due to already established interest on the topic. The details on data compression dragged on for a little too long yet better explanation on the topic can be found elsewhere. I wish there was more narrative on author's experience, and less background or technical details. I would recommend this book to someone with less technical background or knowledge about chatbots but want to get a basic idea. I did not find it too insightful as someone with a technical background.

Hard to follow with lack of apparent organization and flow

This book presented some intriguing concepts, but I found it challenging to grasp the overarching message. While there were moments of insight, the narrative felt convoluted at times, making it difficult to connect the dots. I believe the book could have benefited from a more concise structure, focusing on practical applications of the ideas discussed. A tighter, more streamlined approach might have enhanced its impact and clarity, making the insights more accessible and meaningful for the reader.

Fascinating examination of being human

I really liked this book. It was fairly well written and read. There were spots where the author went on and on about some obscure aspect of technology (e.g., lossy vs. lossless data compression) and some stretches where the focus seems to wander, but overall this was a fascinating and comprehensive examination of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human. I though the author could have provided a more consistent thread relating to his participation in the Turing test, but the competition itself was less important than his examination of the various aspects of humanity. I liked this book so much that I assimilated (i.e., read) it in one day, then again on the very next day. There was just that much fascinating detail to hold my attention as much the second time through as the first.