In a little over a month, Jeff’s new book, A Thousand Brains, will be available, and we’d like to do a special book event with Jeff for this community. We have some ideas, but we want to hear from you as to what kind of (virtual) event you’d like to see: a Q&A where we collect questions for Jeff ahead of time, an interview / fireside chat-type event, a presentation by Jeff…
Since the book is split into 3 parts (Part 1: A New Understanding of the Brain, Part 2: Machine Intelligence, Part 3: Human Intelligence), we could also do 3 separate sessions devoted to each section.
Lots of possibilities, and we’ve got time to plan it. But I want to plant the seed to start thinking about what would be most meaningful for all of you, and use this thread to start collecting ideas.
I can’t wait until the book is out and everyone has a chance to read it!
Thanks @Falco! I agree, it makes sense to time it a bit after the book comes out so people have a chance to read it. And we can collect questions here on the forum or via email.
Hi Christy,
thanks for the proposal and “now” is the time to be really getting ready to make a lot of noise I have no doubt you have a big programme of promotional activities planned.
To your ‘ask’, could I propose “the other way around” approach? Is it possible for Jeff/Numenta to share a PDF of the table of contents or opening chapter/s BEFORE the book is published?.
I believe this very loyal audience/community could then do more justice to a Q&A session with Jeff.
You will get us all posting our questions - grounded in a first look at the book content - and you’d also be able to plan for one or multiple sessions.
Thanks a lot to Jeff and Numenta for thinking of us in this community. It is a privilege I will not forgo, despite 9 hours of time difference. Thanks in advance. I am not a fast reader, but will do my best to scan the book fast as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Perhaps a section of the forum could be dedicated to discussing the questions the community would like to ask. Then after some discussion in the forum the community could vote on which questions are of most interest/value. The possibility of clarifying and filtering questions could increase the quality of the interaction. It could also make better use of Jeff’s time.
Thanks, @Curious_Mike. I think we could do something like this. And Jeff and I just recorded some videos that cover each section of the book, which we’ll be posting soon. I think having those available will also help generate questions. Great suggestion!
I have already reserved the book and will happily pay full price for such a good cause.
However, if you prefer to receive a voluntary subscription fee to support this community, I would also be glad to sign up. I have always expressed my gratitude for the openness and welcoming of the organizers of this community.
I have read the book as it was generously available to me by some marketing publisher.
Majority of sections 1 and 2 are an overview of much of the topics that were discussed in this forum and on videos. For keen followers of Numenta, these sections should not offer any new insight.
Section 3 attempts to offer some rigorous analysis to some speculative ideas that’re overblown in pop-culture, and I don’t know whether Hawkins succeeds in this regard.
“On Intelligence” was a revelation- I know of many professionals who have cited the book as a major inspiration to their work and even life in general. I’m one of its acolytes. For such a comprehensive theory to be available as a pop-culture book is a testament to Jeff’s aspiration for a brain theory to resonate deeply with the general audience, much in the same way as Theory of Evolution and Relativity. Can A Thousand Brains Theory reach a level of such pop-culture awareness? Though the aim of the book is imposing, for me, it falls short. A Thousand Brain Theory, in the way it frames intelligence and basic mechanisms, is likely correct.
Given how open the research is, this isn’t surprising. I’m not expecting the unveiling of anything completely new. I’ll be happy if it recaps the past couple of years of research concisely, layed out nicely for a broader audience.
While I don’t find Jeff as abstract or confusing as say O’Regan sometimes I want questions to see if I get it I drifted off after Matt hoping get back into things again after wandering into some er more metaphysical back waters elsewhere. Either way looking forward to the book etc
Hi @cmaver is there any place you could post a screen-grab of the Table of Contents of the book. I still think that questions for Jeff will be easier to address, and write up, if we can align to the Chapter titles. Personally I would like to get more insight to the chapters in Part 1 (the TBT), so I can test my understanding of TBT.
I have no doubt you have a big programme of promotional activities planned.
hoping get back into things again after wandering into some er more metaphysical back waters elsewhere. Either way looking forward to the book etc