Galatea 2.2 By Richard Powers
By Asil
The basic premise of Galatea 2.2 is based on the concept that a computer
can gain awareness of self -- whether that is what we intended or not. Richard
Powers (our fictitious protagonist) is a writer who returns to his alma
mater after living abroad. His station as humanist-in-residence at the university
allows him to run into Philip Lentz, a cognitive neurologist of unreserved
character.
Powers is soon enticed into collaborating on a project to model the human
brain, using a computer-based neural network. Their chief goal is to feed
this thing (a later version of which gets named Helen) enough information
to enable it to pass a comprehensive exam in English lit.
OK. Out the door the book falls a little short on the technical angle of
things. Ultimately, we don't care, and it works to the benefit of the plot.
Why? Because, this is not so much a story about how one can configure a
computer to interpret meaning, as it is about how we assimilate information
in general. And truthfully, that accounts for only about one third of the
book anyway.
Powers is really more interested in giving us his personal story, since
he's the one with the all the required love and tragedy. He manages to weave
the all the characters, including the precious Helen, together in a way
that gives us insight into human consciousness. If you are looking to find
out more about configuring your network for brilliance, this might provide
food for thought; not much more. However, if you are intrigued by the cognizant
human brain and how we associate information with emotion you will not be
disappointed.
