Novacene

The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence

De: James Lovelock

Narrado por: Roy McMillan

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Novacene, by James Lovelock, read by Roy McMillan.

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.

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 - as desperately slow acting and thinking creatures. But this will not be the cruel, violent machine takeover of the planet imagined by sci-fi writers and film-makers. These hyper-intelligent 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. Maybe, 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.

©2019 James Lovelock (P)2019 Penguin Audio

One of THE BEST books on Future of AI

I read few books per month and NOVACENE is one of the most detailed, comprehensive and far reaching books on future of AI and future of Humanity i have ever read

A reminder that humans may not be the center of the universe

An interesting story and hypothesis. Humans are the sole purpose of the universe in the sense that everything exists to host intelligence. At the same time our reign as the most intelligent beings may come to an end, as we make room for our intelligent babies - cyborgs.

El mejor

Es el mejor libro que he escuchado o leído en los últimos años. Lovelock reúne la inteligencia práctica del inventor. La sensibilidad del que comprende y la sabiduría de 100 años en lucidez plena. Maestro!

Simple and insightful

Short book and to the point. A guide to what’s coming next and soon, how our species will evolve. Fascinating.

Lovelock was a truly remarkable man (RIP '21)

Three big ideas in this book.

1. Unlocking or the Anthropocine by burning coal
2. Beginning of the Novocine by Marconi
3. The real definition of Gaia (intelligence ordering itself)

Insightful discourse and well-read

I was never particularly interested in futurism or engineering yet I enjoyed Novacene. Lovelock’s logical approach and the simplicity of language make it very easy to follow. The recording is pleasant to listen as well.
Learned a lot and some concepts proposed by Mr. Lovelock will stick to me for a long time - that’s what I call a great book.
Highly recommend Novacene, I’d say it’s suitable for everyone.