The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era by Vernor Vinge (1993)

I haven't read any fiction by Vinge yet but felt compelled to read his well known essay after some of my previous reads which refer to Vinge or discuss the topic. Also, it is a short read.

I first read about Singularities in Wonders of the Universe (Cox) and then The Illustrated A Brief History of Time (Hawking), referring to the Bing Bang and Black Holes. In those points/places mathematical calculations reach divisions by zero, or infinite, meaning the rules of (known) physics do not apply. Recently I also read a novel called Diaspora by Greg Egan in which characters travel through Singularities (totallyrecommendit. ).

The topic of Vinge's essay is different from the above. It discusses our future after we develop super human intelligence. This is a well-known essay, as it is in this paper (as far as I know) that Vinge coined the term (Technological) Singularity to mean that point in which we, humans will cease to be the most intelligent things on earth. Previously I had read a thesis on Singularities and literature and recently a much recommended Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark which opened my mind to so many possibilities. Also the last novel I read was Accelerando by Charles Stross, difficult read but worth it. Among other things it explores the effects of a Technological Singularity on economics and humanity way of living.