The Age of Spiritual Machines (Abridged) Audiobook

" The core problem with Kurzweil is that he seems to have no analysis of power or oppression whatsoever. He inhabits a happy-go-lucky futurist utopia filled with wondrous technological toys and gives no thought to how any of the technology could be used oppress, dominate or control. I basically spent the entire book imagining all the horrible things governments and corporations would do (and perhaps will do) with all the fantastic technology Kurzweil describes. "

" This book blew my mind - encouraged me to get my ass back in school. Looks like I will be Ray Kurzweil will be a keynote at a blackberry conference I am attending in two weeks! Would love to have a drink with him =) "

" This was a book that made me think in a way I never had before. I think I need to go back and read it again! "

" Not recommended. I hoped to get some intro into futurism/transhumanism/singularity. Kurzweil describes his concepts briefly and quite handwaveingly in the very beginning and the rest of the book is a long monotonous list useful only if you want to write a near-future/cyberpunk short story and you've run out of ideas. (I'm not subtracting points for being overtly optimistic for his 2009 predictions.) "

" Takes a few premises like Moore's Law and runs with it to conclusions that don't seem to follow necessarily. I found it to be a lot of pie in the sky dreaming. Kurzweil is a technological speculator. If I had wanted guessing about A.I. I would've read William Gibson instead. "

" Interesting, but thick. I started reading it in 1999. There's a bookmark on p. 152. Many things are probably past due, but I will soldier on. "

" Awesome book that explains the evolution of computer technology and elaborates on the potential social issues that artificially intelligent machines may invoke. "

" we are in great trouble! "

" An interesting outline of futurist milestones. "

" Mind fuck, somewhat depressing, perfect. "

" Futurist Ray Kurzweil takes us down the rabbit hole of what our future may be like. "

" I wish I could give this book zero stars. Never again. "

" Thought provoking to say the least "

" Actually, I couldn't finish it--too technical and uninteresting. "

" On the plus side, I'm definitely ready to be immortal and able to download my brain. However, all this talk of the Technology Singularity strikes me, as another commentator put it, as the Christian Rapture with computers. "

" An exciting and thought-provoking foray into one possible future! "

" Way more science than fiction, I would guess. Read Kurzwiel and know stuff before everyone else around you does. "

" One of the best books I've read on technology progressing into the 21st century and beyond. Very eye-opening and backed up with a lot of reference material.<br/>Great book. "

" An abridged audiobook of this title, and thus a pretty good synopsis of Kurzweil's Law of Accelerating Returns and the reasoning behind his technology predictions. Less important but still interesting are seeing how his predictions from 1999 line up with the present. "

" On the plus side, I'm definitely ready to be immortal and able to download my brain. However, all this talk of the Technology Singularity strikes me, as another commentator put it, as the Christian Rapture with computers. "

" Maybe this would be better if I read it 10 years before the predictions were meant to happen. "

" I skim read this book off my husband's bookshelf. It freaked me out. Made me think outside of a box I didn't realize I was in. Some parts over my head. Made me realize I personally interact with machines far more than I like. Where's the balance? "

" This was a book that made me think in a way I never had before. I think I need to go back and read it again! "

" Terrific book with accurate predictions and scary futuristic ones. "

" One of the core books to read in understanding how technology will be changing our society "