On Intelligence

Book excerpt: The inventor of the PalmPilot shares a compelling new theory of intelligence, brain function, and the future of artificial intelligence. Tech innovator Jeff Hawkins reshaped our relationship to computers with devices like the PalmPilot. Now he stands ready to revolutionize both neuroscience and computing in one stroke, with a new understanding of intelligence itself. In this book, Hawkins develops a powerful theory of human cognition and explains how, based on his theory, we can finally build intelligent machines. According to Hawkins, the brain is a complex system that remembers sequences of events and their nested relationships. This style of organization reflects the true structure of the world and allows us to make increasingly accurate predictions. This memory-prediction process in turn forms the basis of intelligence, perception, creativity, and even consciousness. In an engaging style accessible to the general reader, Hawkins shows how a clear understanding of brain function can be applied to building intelligent machines, in silicon, that will exceed our human ability in surprising ways. Written with acclaimed science writer Sandra Blakeslee, On Intelligence is a landmark book in its scope and clarity. “Brilliant and imbued with startling clarity . . . the most important book in neuroscience, psychology, and artificial intelligence in a generation.” —Malcolm Young, University of Newcastle