--- product_id: 7476914 title: "The Computer and the Brain (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series)" price: "162.23 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7476914-the-computer-and-the-brain-the-silliman-memorial-lectures-series store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Computer and the Brain (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series) **Price:** 162.23 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Computer and the Brain (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series) - **How much does it cost?** 162.23 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7476914-the-computer-and-the-brain-the-silliman-memorial-lectures-series) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: The Computer and the Brain (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series): 9780143416371: von Neumann, John, Kurzweil, Ray: Books Review: Dated yet Clear Introduction to AI, Computer Architecture and the Human Brain - Neuroscience and computer science have advanced considerably since Von Neumann, one of the founders of the modern computer, discussed these subjects in The Computer and the Brain. I do not believe, for example, that the text contains any insights that have not been picked up on by more recent authors. There are, however, good reasons to purchase this book. Obviously, if one wants to look at the history of human understanding of artificial intelligence the work is an important foundation. But, more profoundly, Von Neumann discusses the architecture of the computer and what was known about the brain in such easily comprehensible prose that the book is also a good introductory essay. Being less than 100 pages, it is also a relatively quick read. If then, you are looking for the most up to date neuroscience and artificial intelligence theory you should not choose this work. But as a landmark historical essay and a good introduction to these fields the book is, beyond doubt, a good choice. Review: Inception of the digital revolution - This monograph is worth reading to get a sense of how von Neumann approached a problem using his mathematical intuition. I found it a valuable if short read. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | 0300181116 | | Best Sellers Rank | #208,646 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #24 in Cybernetics (Books) #30 in Machine Theory (Books) #449 in Cognitive Psychology (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (124) | | Dimensions | 5 x 0.34 x 7.75 inches | | Edition | Third | | ISBN-10 | 0143416375 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0143416371 | | Item Weight | 4.8 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 144 pages | | Publication date | August 28, 2012 | | Publisher | Yale University Press | ## Images ![The Computer and the Brain (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61rXo0j7w1L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dated yet Clear Introduction to AI, Computer Architecture and the Human Brain *by A***S on December 8, 2017* Neuroscience and computer science have advanced considerably since Von Neumann, one of the founders of the modern computer, discussed these subjects in The Computer and the Brain. I do not believe, for example, that the text contains any insights that have not been picked up on by more recent authors. There are, however, good reasons to purchase this book. Obviously, if one wants to look at the history of human understanding of artificial intelligence the work is an important foundation. But, more profoundly, Von Neumann discusses the architecture of the computer and what was known about the brain in such easily comprehensible prose that the book is also a good introductory essay. Being less than 100 pages, it is also a relatively quick read. If then, you are looking for the most up to date neuroscience and artificial intelligence theory you should not choose this work. But as a landmark historical essay and a good introduction to these fields the book is, beyond doubt, a good choice. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Inception of the digital revolution *by M***R on March 29, 2017* This monograph is worth reading to get a sense of how von Neumann approached a problem using his mathematical intuition. I found it a valuable if short read. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Deserves More Than 5 Stars *by T***T on November 6, 2014* John von Neumann was the principal architect (in 1945) of the design from which all subsequent electronic computers trace their lineage. As he was dying of bone cancer, this giant of 20th Century mathematics and physics wrote the last of his 150 research papers, "The Computer and the Brain". In 80 pages, von Neumann describes the key components and processes of computers and of brains and then analyzes their similarities and differences. Developments in both computer science and neuroscience during the intervening six decades have corroborated his overall analysis. Von Neumann had a better grasp in 1956 than proponents of AI have today of what differentiates artificial intelligence (computers) from biological intelligence (brains). In the last section of "The Computer and the Brain", von Neumann goes to considerable lengths to explain exactly how computers differ from brains: "It should also be noted that the message-system used in the nervous system, as described in the above, is of an essentially statistical character. In other words, what matters are not the precise positions of definite markers, digits, but the statistical characteristics of their occurrence, i.e., frequencies of periodic or nearly periodic pulse-trains, etc. "Thus the nervous system appears to be using a radically different system of notation from the ones we are familiar with in ordinary arithmetic and mathematics. Instead of the precise systems of markers where the position--and presence or absence--of every marker counts decisively in determining the meaning of the message, we have here a system of notations in which the meaning is conveyed by the statistical properties of the message. We have seen how this leads to a lower level of arithmetical precision but to a higher level of logical reliability: a deterioration in arithmetics has been traded for an improvement in logics." Or, to quote von Neumann again farther down the same page, "The Language of the Brain is Not the Language of Mathematics". Try to imagine transistor logic gates, arithmetic logic units, integrated circuits, multi-core microprocessors, neuromorphic chips, neural networks, massively parallel systems, software algorithms, etc.--all without math. Good luck. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Computer and the Brain 3e (Silliman Memorial Lectures) (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series) - Prisoner's Dilemma: John Von Neumann, Game Theory, and the Puzzle of the Bomb - The Man from the Future: The Visionary Life of John von Neumann --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7476914-the-computer-and-the-brain-the-silliman-memorial-lectures-series](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7476914-the-computer-and-the-brain-the-silliman-memorial-lectures-series) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-06-06*