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Analysis QuestionsAnalyze Describe the overall structure of Kurzweil’s article. Is this structure effective for the kind of information he wants to convey? Explain.The article has a formal structure with several sections. An introduction announces the author’s bold predictions, four body sections develop these ideas, and a conclusion both summarizes the argument and raises more questions. This structure is effective because it allows the author to present and explain the technological details with which he supports his argument.Critique Review the analogy that Kurzweil makes between biological evolution and technological evolution beginning in line 45. What is the crucial point of similarity between these two processes?The crucial similarity between biological and technological evolution is the exponential speed at which they develop.Interpret Kurzweil writes, “After decades of devoted service, Moore’s Law will have run its course around 2019. By that time, transistor features will be just a few atoms in width” (lines 81–83). What is Moore’s Law? How will growth in computing technology continue after 2019?Moore’s Law states that computers double in capacity and speed per unit cost every 24 months. Growth will continue through new architectures such as computing cubes, nanotube circuits, optical computing, crystalline computing, and molecular computing.Connect In lines 99–107, Kurzweil introduces the Law of Accelerating Returns. At the start of the section “Programming Intelligence,” he makes an analogy between human intelligence and a computer’s hardware and software. Explain the analogy and how it supports the author’s predictions about the future.Kurzweil compares the human brain to the hardware and software of a computer. If these are analogous and if computers continue to become more and more powerful, it should be possible to create a computer with the “software” of the human brain paired with an infinitely greater calculating capacity, which will revolutionize society.Analyze The technical term reverse-engineer is introduced in line 138. Explain what this term means in the context of the example Kurzweil gives. How does the concept of reverse-engineering help support his predictions?Reverse-engineering is the process of discovering how something works by taking it apart and using it as a model. Reverse-engineering the human brain and applying this knowledge could help computers become more intelligent, as Kurzweil predicts.Analyze Reread lines 117–123. How would you describe the author’s tone in this paragraph? Is his tone consistent throughout the article?Kurzweil’s tone in this paragraph is authoritative but humorous (when he confesses that his calculations “may be off by a year or two”). This is not exactly consistent with his otherwise lively but earnest tone.Summarize Reread the last three paragraphs of the article. How would you summarize the conclusions Kurzweil draws about the future of artificial intelligence? In other words, what is his point of view on the topic?Kurzweil predicts that computers will not only surpass humans in intelligence but will also develop the next step in intelligence.Evaluate Based on the information presented throughout the article, do you find Kurzweil’s conclusions persuasive? Explain why or why not.Possible answers: Yes, because of all his evidence and his own track record as an inventor. No, because he has not sufficiently addressed the unique nature of human intelligence. ................
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