Morphing Intelligence: From IQ Measurement to Artificial Brains

Intelligence is the concept that blurs the boundaries between natural and artificial, bridging the human brain and the cybernetic world of AI. Catherine Malabou's book explores the modern metamorphoses of intelligence, seeking to understand how neurobiological and neurotechnological advances have transformed our view. She concludes that a dialogue between human and cybernetic intelligence offers the best means to build a democratic future.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 13 April 2021
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The concept of intelligence is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that encompasses the boundaries between natural and artificial, blurring the lines between the human brain and the cybernetic realm of AI. In this book, acclaimed philosopher Catherine Malabou takes a novel approach that emphasizes the interconnected and networked relationships between biological, technological, and symbolic aspects.

Malabou traces the modern metamorphoses of intelligence, seeking to understand how neurobiological and neurotechnological advances have transformed our understanding of the concept. She examines three crucial developments: the notion of intelligence as an empirical, genetically based quality measurable by standardized tests; the shift to the epigenetic paradigm, which emphasizes neural plasticity; and the emergence of artificial intelligence, which holds the potential to simulate, replicate, and even surpass the workings of the human brain.

Through her insightful analysis, Malabou concludes that a dialogue between human and cybernetic intelligence offers the best, if not the only, means to build a democratic future. She argues that the merging of these two realms can lead to new possibilities for human development, creativity, and innovation. However, she also raises important ethical and philosophical questions about the potential risks and unintended consequences of such a union.

Morphing Intelligence is a groundbreaking exploration of our changing notions of intelligence and its far-reaching philosophical and political implications. It is an essential analysis of the porous border between symbolic and biological life at a time when once-clear distinctions between mind and machine have become uncertain. By delving into the complex interplay between biology, technology, and culture, Malabou provides a thought-provoking and provocative perspective on the future of human intelligence and its relationship with the world around us.

Weight: 296g
Dimension: 139 x 217 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231187374