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The Emperor's New Mind Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

by: Penrose, Roger; Gardner, Martin

The Emperor's New Mind Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

by: Penrose, Roger; Gardner, Martin

ISBN 13:
9780192861986
ISBN 10:
0192861980
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 12/12/2002
Publisher: Oxford University Press
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Summary

Winner of the Wolf Prize for his contribution to our understanding of the universe, Penrose takes on the question of whether artificial intelligence will ever approach the intricacy of the human mind. 144 illustrations.

Prologue

(3)

Can a Computer Have a Mind?

(37)

Introduction

(3)

The Turing test

(8)

Artificial intelligence

(3)

An AI approach to `pleasure' and `pain'

(4)

Strong AI and Searle's Chinese room

(9)

Hardware and software

(10)

Algorithms and Turing Machines

(58)

Background to the algorithm concept

(6)

Turing's concept

(10)

Binary coding of numerical data

(5)

The Church--Turing Thesis

(4)

Numbers other than natural numbers

(2)

The universal Turing machine

(8)

The insolubility of Hilbert's problem

(8)

How to outdo an algorithm

(3)

Church's lambda calculus

(12)

Mathematics and Reality

(31)

The land of Tor'Bled-Nam

(7)

Real numbers

105

(3)

How many real numbers are there?

108

(4)

`Reality' of real numbers

112

(2)

Complex numbers

114

(6)

Construction of the Mandelbrot set

120

(3)

Platonic reality of mathematical concepts?

123

(6)

Truth, Proof, and Insight

129

(64)

Hilbert's programme for mathematics

129

(4)

Formal mathematical systems

133

(5)

Godel's theorem

138

(3)

Mathematical insight

141

(5)

Platonism or intuitionism?

146

(5)

Godel-type theorems from Turing's result

151

(4)

Recursively enumerable sets

155

(6)

Is the Mandelbrot set recursive?

161

(7)

Some examples of non-recursive mathematics

168

(9)

Is the Mandelbrot set like non-recursive mathematics?

177

(4)

Complexity theory

181

(7)

Complexity and computability in physical things

188

(5)

The Classical World

193

(98)

The status of physical theory

193

(9)

Euclidean geometry

202

(7)

The dynamics of Galileo and Newton

209

(8)

The mechanistic world of Newtonian dynamics

217

(3)

Is life in the billiard-ball world computable?

220

(5)

Hamiltonian mechanics

225

(3)

Phase space

228

(10)

Maxwell's electromagnetic theory

238

(5)

Computability and the wave equation

243

(1)

The Lorentz equation of motion; runaway particles

244

(4)

The special relativity of Einstein and Poincare

248

(13)

Einstein's general relativity

261

(12)

Relativistic causality and determinism

273

(5)

Computability in classical physics: where do we stand?

278

(2)

Mass, matter, and reality

280

(11)

Quantum Magic and Quantum Mystery

291

(100)

Do philosophers need quantum theory?

291

(4)

Problems with classical theory

295

(2)

The beginnings of quantum theory

297

(2)

The two-slit experiment

299

(7)

Probability amplitudes

306

(8)

The quantum state of a particle

314

(7)

The uncertainty principle

321

(2)

The evolution procedures U and R

323

(2)

Particles in two places at once?

325

(7)

Hilbert space

332

(4)

Measurements

336

(5)

Spin and the Riemann sphere of states

341

(5)

Objectivity and measurability of quantum states

346

(2)

Copying a quantum state

348

(1)

Photon spin

349

(4)

Objects with large spin

353

(2)

Many-particle systems

355

(6)

The `paradox' of Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen

361

(8)

Experiments with photons: a problem for relativity?

369

(3)

Schrodinger's equation; Dirac's equation

372

(2)

Quantum field theory

374

(1)

Schrodinger's cat

375

(4)

Various attitudes in existing quantum theory

379

(4)

Where does all this leave us?

383

(8)

Cosmology and the Arrow of Time

391

(59)

The flow of time

391

(3)

The inexorable increase of entropy

394

(6)

What is entropy?

400

(7)

The second law in action

407

(4)

The origin of low entropy in the universe

411

(6)

Cosmology and the big bang

417

(6)

The primordial fireball

423

(3)

Does the big bang explain the second law?

426

(1)

Black holes

427

(8)

The structure of space-time singularities

435

(5)

How special was the big bang?

440

(10)

In Search of Quantum Gravity

450

(33)

Why quantum gravity?

450

(3)

What lies behind the Weyl curvature hypothesis?

453

(5)

Time-asymmetry in state-vector reduction

458

(7)

Hawking's box: a link with the Weyl curvature hypothesis?

465

(10)

When does the state-vector reduce?

475

(8)

Real Brains and Model Brains

483

(40)

What are brains actually like?

483

(9)

Where is the seat of consciousness?

492

(4)

Split-brain experiments

496

(3)

Blindsight

499

(1)

Information processing in the visual cortex

500

(2)

How do nerve signals work?

502

(5)

Computer models

507

(5)

Brain plasticity

512

(2)

Parallel computers and the `oneness' of consciousness

514

(2)

Is there a role for quantum mechanics in brain activity?

516

(2)

Quantum computers

518

(2)

Beyond quantum theory?

520

(3)

Where Lies the Physics of Mind?

523

(60)

What are minds for?

523

(6)

What does consciousness actually do?

529

(5)

Natural selection of algorithms?

534

(4)

The non-algorithmic nature of mathematical insight

538

(3)

Inspiration, insight, and originality

541

(7)

Non-verbality of thought

548

(2)

Animal consciousness?

550

(2)

Contact with Plato's world

552

(3)

A view of physical reality

555

(3)

Determinism and strong determinism

558

(2)

The anthropic principle

560

(2)

Tilings and quasicrystals

562

(4)

Possible relevance to brain plasticity

566

(2)

The time-delays of consciousness

568

(5)

The strange role of time in conscious perception

573

(5)

Conclusion: a child's view

578

(5)

Epilogue

583

(1)

References

584

(12)

Index

596

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

The Emperor's New Mind Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

The Emperor's New Mind Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

9780192861986

0192861980

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

The Emperor's New Mind Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

The Emperor's New Mind Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

9780192861986

0192861980

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

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