Bodies, Brains, People and Machines

This outline introduction for general readers explores human brain development and function as it controls virtually all bodily activities while providing us with consciousness, memory, thought, emotions and pleasures. Our brains provide us with some degree of choice as we develop values and morality. Their ability to detect, experiment, create, learn and communicate lead to rapid increases in our knowledge and power societal development at accelerating rates. Inbuilt brain circuitry evolved for survival in ancient times may sometimes drive damaging greed and violence. Studying what makes us behave inappropriately lets us search for avenues of improvement. That we do so becomes increasingly important as we develop intelligent machines that could soon replace and surpass almost all human attributes. We will need to find ways to keep them appropriate to our needs if we are to enjoy full and satisfying lives.