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The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

Roger Penrose, foreword by Martin Gardner

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  • Demis HassabisRead and discussed critically
    Hassabis says he read Penrose’s book and discusses their disagreement about whether consciousness needs quantum processes. This records reading and engagement with the argument, rather than unqualified agreement. His personal edition is unknown.
    Source

Summary

Roger Penrose examines the claim that the mind can be fully described by a computer program. He brings together arguments about algorithms, mathematical understanding, classical physics and quantum theory to challenge that account of human thought. Martin Gardner contributes the foreword.

The book builds a case rather than reporting a settled explanation of consciousness. The authorized Oxford preview includes later prefaces, the contents and the opening argument. Its copyright page identifies the 2016 Landmark Science paperback used by this registry.

  • SourceThe Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics — original publication or publisher · Publisher product identity; page is access-limited. Edition and content checked in authorized Oxford preview.
  • SourceOxford University Press — authorized preview · PDF pp. 3–4: credits and paperback ISBN; contents, later prefaces and opening argument. Preview only, not whole book.

Why read it Our view

Write down which part of Penrose’s argument you accept and which needs more evidence. A serious disagreement about computation and understanding can help define a research question; it does not by itself establish a limit on what an AI product can do.