The Discrete Charm of the Machine

This book explains the genesis and development of the transformation from analogue to digital representing a shift from continuous to discrete in terms of 0 and 1 with interesting parallels to quantum mechanics. It covers some of the key people like Charles Babbage, Alan Turing and Claude Shannon on information theory, also explaining technical terms in layman language and the function, for instance, of valves and fibre optics. The least impressive aspect of the book is the final chapter on implications, where the author does not question the assumptions behind this development, especially in terms of AI and robotisation. There is a tendency to develop technology without thinking through the long-term implications and impact on society and people, and also the values inherent in the enterprise. The very image and definition of the human being is at stake and is mainly articulated here in left hemisphere cognitive terms, although the author does express concern for the culture of the future.