Brain vs computer: the challenge of the century

Part 1. About our brain: how does it work? : 1. The biological hardware (hardmeat) : What about the brain? : Gray matter ; White substance; Copying the wiring The basic cell: the neuron : The constitution ; Biochemical activation of the neuron ; Redundancy, troubles, and repairs ; Biological, biochemical, and electrical logic ; Transplants Methods of analysis : Direct investigations : EEG and related devices; X-ray-related methods; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Positron emission tomography (PET); Magnetoencephalography (MEG) ; Stimulation methods : Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT); Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); Pacemakers ; Disturbances in the normality Internal communication in the brain 2. The biological software (softmeat) : From Thales to Freud : The Greek philosophy ; Later on : Nietzsche; Spinoza and the knowledge; Kant ; Psychology, psychoanalysis, and psychiatry : Psychology; Psychoanalysis; Psychiatry The complexity of the information process : Neuronal exchanges: is it all in the genome? ; Predeterminism, randomness and necessity The role of the five senses : The origin of the exchanges ; Words in the brain Sleep and hypnosis : Sleep ; Hypnosis The experimental tests Computational neuroscience 3. Be aware of consciousness : Observed vs observer : Consciousness ; Introspection ; Neuropsychology Cognitive organization : Cognition ; Memory and oblivion ; About animals Toward the discovery of consciousness : The trial-and-error method ; Trouble out of control and disorders The experimental means Human logic and intuition : Subconscious consciousness ; The role of words ; Intuition 4. Transcendence : The self, the soul Transcendence: mathematics and religions : The mathematics : The numbers; The algebra ; The early ages of the religions ; Nowadays, modernity ; Neurotheology: the recess of the divine? Modeling a brain : Growing a brain ; Is emulating a brain thinkable? What about the computer? : Kurweil, the transcendent man ; Growing AI?

Part 2. Toward an intelligent computer : 5. The origin of the challenge : From the transistor to quantum leap : What is the computer made of? : Binary logic and thereafter ; Fuzzy logic to smoothen decisions ; Formal logic Supercomputers : Supercomputers: what for? : All-purpose supercomputers ; Brain-devoted computers Supercomputers: what are they made of? Supercomputers: who pays? : Blue Brain Project (BBP) ; Brain initiative ; Google brain ; Baidu, the Google of China ; The Brain/MINDS project Toward quantum logic : Quantum wells ; Photonics The compatible artificial logic : Brain-computer interfaces ; Chips for brain simulation ; Computer's challenges ; Biology turns to electronics 6. Artificial intelligence : What is intelligence? : What is intelligence made of? ; Intelligence and communication ; Distributed and cumulative intelligence What is AI? : Compartments of AI : Super artificial intelligence; Narrow (or weak, or applied) intelligence: Friendly AI; Seed AI ; Robotics ; Deep learning ; What else? Dedicated intelligent systems Perception analysis : Vocal and facial recognition ; The virtual reality to come Big data : Big data: why and how? ; Unexpected results The dangers to come from AI? : Who would win? ; Some gathered personal opinions ; What could we conclude from that? 7. Towards an intelligent computer : Artificial surroundings : Virtual and augmented reality ; Connected objects ; The internet, the games, and the social networks Toward a superior intellect : Cognitive computing ; Watson, the IBM's star story ; Big data is coming Coming research programs : Supercomputers: what for? ; Neuromorphism Brain transfer : A copycat of the brain? ; Google brain? ; How to train a computer? ; Would the HLCB have to be taught about every human behavior?

Part 3. How to make all that stuff hold together : 8. How to make man and computer cooperate : How do we take advantage of the computer? ; Bio-mineral interfaces ; The thought-driven external command ; The internet and the cloud ; Progress in brain surgery ; How can the computer benefit from an improved knowledge of the brain?

Changes are already underway : Computers, phones and the like ; Google's curiosity ; Virtual reality ; Is changing the brain and the mind underway?

Androids already exist, even though not yet perfect : About bots and androids : At the very beginning; A robot to replace man; The humanlike androids ; All of that has been partly engaged ; Biological cognition

What to do, and what for? : Would the computer be able to reciprocally control the brain? ; All of that has been partly achieved but the essential remains undone

9. Copy the brain or search for a better solution? : Is our brain to change? : About the learning mechanism ; The brain (and other) competitions ; Hybrid thought

The biological copy : Making a direct copy of the biological ; The complexity

Software brain emulation : Low level emulation ; Are we living in a dream? ; The virtual reality of our world ; Could the computer invent a new model of the brain?

Androids and cyborgs : Androids ; A mix of man and machine: the cyborg ; Is Big Brother already here? ; A bit of science fiction before closing this chapter

10. Is transhumanism a realistic future? : Where did we come from? Where are we heading? : The place of God in humanity ; Is God forgotten? ; Trans- or posthumanism?

The improved man : Longevity and brain sustaining ; Brain enhancement

Toward a higher intelligence? : Nick Bostrom emphasizes world domination by the machines ; Do we take ourselves to be God? ; Is the computer able to create intelligence? ; What to do with humanity if the brain is overcome by AI?

The global brain at a world scale : Homo-Googlus and the hackers toward a singularity ; Brain hacking ; The cloud, a distributed intelligence ; Global brain institute

The energy

Conclusion : Who is afraid of the big bad computer? : The invasive computer ; The global threat.