Free Republic

Investor's Business Daily A True Master Of Invention Tuesday September 21, 7:00 pm ET Brian Deagon Ray Kurzweil believes that to be successful, he has to look far into the future. And the only way to do that well is to try to understand the past. "At the age of 5, I decided I would be an inventor and by age 12 I was heavily involved with computers," Kurzweil recalled recently. "I quickly realized that timing was the most important thing to invention. Most inventions fail because the timing is wrong." In order to get the timing right, Kurzweil became...

<p>DALLAS, Texas (AP) -- With her sparkling blue eyes, wispy eyelashes and demure smile, Hertz is the center of attention wherever she goes.</p> <p>If you're lucky enough to meet her, try to ignore the tangle of wires slinking from behind her face. If you speak with her, talk slowly and loudly. And no matter what you say, don't be offended if she looks at you blankly and repeatedly asks, "What did you say?"</p>

An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense "intuitive linear" view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century -- it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate). The "returns," such as chip speed and cost-effectiveness, also increase exponentially. There's even exponential growth in the rate of exponential growth. Within a few decades, machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence, leading to The Singularity -- technological change so rapid and profound it represents a rupture in the fabric of human history. The implications include...