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Gregory Benford
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Beyond Human: Living with Robots and Cyborgs First Edition, Kindle Edition

by Gregory Benford (Author), Elisabeth Malartre (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.1 3.1 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

Concepts once purely fiction -- robots, cyborg parts, artificial intelligences -- are becoming part of everyday reality. Soon robots will be everywhere, performing surgery, exploring hazardous places, making rescues, fighting fires, handling heavy goods. After a decade or two, they will be as unremarkable as the computer screen is now in offices, airports or restaurants.

Cyborgs will be less obvious. These additions to the human body are interior now, as rebuilt joints, elbows and hearts. Soon we will cross the line between repair and augmentation, probably first in sports medicine, then spreading to everyone who wants to make a body perform better, last longer, than it ordinarily could. Controversy will arise, but it will not stop the desire to live longer and be stronger than we are.

Gregory Benford and Elisabeth Malartre's Beyond Human treats the landscape of human self-change and robotic development as poles of the same general phenomenon.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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  1. ISBN-13
    978-1429936200
  2. Edition
    First
  3. Publisher
    Forge Books
  4. Publication date
    September 18, 2007
  5. Language
    English
  6. File size
    1.6 MB
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The simple title of this book belies its profundity-and its sense of humor. Besides an up-to-date, comprehensive overview of developments in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence, physicist Benford and biologist Malartre also address deeper questions about the relationship between the brain and the mind, as well as humankind's nervous relationship with increasingly sophisticated machines. Looking at robots' use in all areas, such as unskilled labor, precision work (like surgery), the home and the battlefield, Benford and Malartre take into account not just the latest research and developments, but the long popularity of robots and cyborgs in pop culture (citing movies like A.I. and The Day the Earth Stood Still). Their concluding argument, that consciousness and the intellectual power of the human mind emerge from the complexity of the brain, and thus cannot be reduced to the functioning of its individual components, leads them to doubt, convincingly, that robots (machines that mimic humans) and cyborgs (man-machine hybrids) will ever amount to more than sophisticated tools, enhancing human life but never replacing it. Throughout, the authors maintain a playful sense, an optimistic view of the future and a steady grip on this rapidly expanding field.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

Praise for Deep Time "Professor and distinguished sf writer Benford adds another reflective title to his large and rapidly expanding oeuvre. Hearty and compelling, his new book elucidates some of the inherent problems humanity faces in communicating over the expanse of time. This slim book addresses environmental issues in order to change how we think about the human impact on Earth; the goal is to make us good stewards. Recommended for all public and academic libraries.--Library Journal
"Combining the flair of a novelist with the cutting-edge science of a physicist, Gregory Benford tells a fascinating tale of one of the deepest questions human beings can ask: How do we communicate with our distant descendants or with extraterrestrials? I know of no book that combines these ingredients in such a hearty meal for the intellect." --John L. Casti, Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM; author of Paradigms Lost and The Cambridge Quintet

"We have no evolutionary basis for thinking rationally about the distant future, and Gregory Benford's delightful book documents our feeble efforts to do so. We feel a sense of responsibility to and for a future far beyond our span, and it will not go away. Deep Time addresses the why and the how of truly deep issues, in a fun read. I know of no other book on this intriguing subject." --Hal Lewis, Professor of Physics, University of California at Santa Barbara; author of Technological Risk

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004O0TUAS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Forge Books; First edition (September 18, 2007)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 18, 2007
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 276 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.1 3.1 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

About the author

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Gregory Benford

Gregory Benford

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Gregory Benford, author of top-selling novels, including Jupiter Project, Artifact, Against Infinity, Eater, and Timescape, is that unusual creative combination of scientist scholar and talented artist; his stories capture readers – hearts and minds – with imaginative leaps into the future of science and of us.

A University of California faculty member since 1971, Benford has conducted research in plasma turbulence theory and experiment, and in astrophysics. His published scientific articles include well over a hundred papers in fields of physics from condensed matter, particle physics, plasmas and mathematical physics, and several in biological conservation.

Often called hard science fiction, Benford's stories take physics into inspired realms. What would happen if cryonics worked and people, frozen, were awoken 50 years in the future? What might we encounter in other dimensions? How about sending messages across time? And finding aliens in our midst? The questions that physics and scientists ask, Benford's imagination explores.

With the re-release of some of his earlier works and the new release of current stories and novels, Benford takes the lead in creating science fiction that intrigues and amuses us while also pushing us to think.

Customer reviews

3.1 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • kc-lam
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good Read!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This book presents a stimulating introduction to cyborgs, robots and the wearable world where wearable computers blend man and machine. It also explores a number of issues about cyborgs and robots with reference to interviews and book reviews. However, some conclusions are not convincing.

    Smart limb prostheses can greatly benefit the disabled. On the other hand, augmented human can see better, smell better and overhear conversation with artificial eye, electronic nose and ear respectively. In the future, it may be possible to implant an artificial brain stem in an accident victim. Such advanced cyborg will challenge the "whole brain" standard of death (i.e. there is no brain waves before the person is considered to be dead).

    Home robots are still not generally available. However, the number of mobile robots for military use are increasing rapidly. In the future, a soldier will direct the robot movement through a wearable interface at a distance. In the wearable world, the small body-worn computer is always on, ready and accessible. It will seek and feed information into the eyes and ears of the wearer from information networks anywhere in the world!
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  • Rahudimer V StBanderzodie
    2.0 out of 5 stars Bill Hosack MD
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    Although the subject matter is timely and interesting the book tends to be a bit textbookish and soporific. I found myself skipping over large sections, or frankly falling asleep. The style is decidedly not Benford; I found myself repeatedly going back over sentences and paragraphs trying to figure out what they were trying to say, only to think "oh, is that all?" Suffice it to say that although I've voraciously read about every SciFi Doctor Benford has ever written, I'm afraid two stars is the highest I can go on this one. Sorry Greg.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Dr. Lee W. Bailey
    3.0 out of 5 stars good condition book, terrible ideas
    Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    This book's thesis is a beastly, dangerous idea, to think that machines can someday exceed humans. It is a narrow, materialistic, mechanistic worldview that ignores basic human factors, such as a conscience. Do you think that a computer in a robot programmed to kill would reflect on the moral issue and refuse to kill? Or would you marry a robot? It could be programmed to say "I love you," but would you believe it or think it sincere? Robot fans are projecting their own thinly veiled fantasy life, especially when they get into human desires such as sex and power.
    This philosophy reflects a narrow consciousness in its believers. Robots are puppets, high-tech Pinocchios, not more than snazzy dolls and teddy bears, not serious models for humanity.
    Read my "Enchantments of Technology" book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Sniff Code
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Future's Future Companion Guide
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2009
    When the future "that's closer than you think" gets just a little closer, this book will be the Crash Course Companion guide to go with it. It will have to be, since most other books on the same topic involve a textual style that requires a great deal of heavy lifting. This book, however, is divided in nice, quick and easy to read anecdotal chapters. Speculative? Yes. Of course. It's the future we're talking about here. This book looks past the visible horizon line, advising that just because we can't see it, doesn't mean we won't. In fact, the Copyright date is 2007. Two years has passed and I've seen many of the questions (Robot Laws) re-surfacing in Wired Magazine. The Future may not be here, but when it gets print in Wired, it's easy to believe that it's just 'round the corner, waiting to go "boo" the moment we step into its shadows.
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  • MRK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction
    Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2010
    Having read about 6 books on the subject, I found this to me one of the most accessible and interesting treatments on the subject. Great introductory book with big ideas.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jesse Allen
    3.0 out of 5 stars Neat, but not for enthusiasts.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2008
    This book offers a pretty exciting examination of current technologies and their possible future applications, but doesn't go farther than hopeful speculation. The language is not very technically specific, and most of the examples are from sci-fi movies and books.
    This book is fun and worth checking out from the library, but I highly recommend that you purchase "The singularity is near" for a more stimulating read.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Vance
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2008
    This is a well-written comprehensive overview of the coming technological and cultural changes wrought by increases in robot and AI development. It refers to many sci-fi treatments of the subject, since Benford is an accomplished sci fi writer in his own right. Some parts dragged, but overall a good and interesting effort.
    3 people found this helpful
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