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Wow, there's a lot to respond to here. Last things first:
I think that we will be able to produce intelligent machines, but in a different way than you guys seem to be talking about. To me, it will more likely come from either a neural net or parallel processing style setup. It will be set into motion and it will "learn" on its own. It won't be released fully created and fully intelligent. It will grow and consciousness may well be a sort of unintended consequence. In the same way that insects and animals are governed by simple rules that create complex patterns, I think that intelligence can evolve from a (relatively) simple setup. But I do agree that we will not be able to create a fully intelligent mind on our own. I predict that we will make strides with the simple-minded robots first, the robo-insects and fish, that will help us understand the structures of intelligence.
I've just read Interface by Neal Stephenson, which was a fun read, but definitely not his best work. Still, I couldn't put the damn thing down until I was done. It chronicles a presidential campaign swallowed whole by the media (in fact this aspect of the book is very timely) and a candidate who has come under outside control through a brain implant that helped him recover from a stroke.
I'm almost done with The Age of Spiritual Machines by Ray Kurzweil. It's a book of futurism, guesses at the progression of computers and humans and ultimately, how we will join. He imagines a future of augmented humans and machines that learn. (I have to say that while he did influence the above rant some, I had the same setiments before reading this book.) I don't agree with many of his predictions, and I think he severely underestimates the social and political changes that will accompany his predictions. He also does not address some core issues of futurism, namely the forthcoming shortage of resources with which to build the machines. Still, the book is quick and it does make you appreciate the ever-accelerating rate of change.
Next I'm working on Creative Home Schooling by Lisa Rivero and Natural Learning Rhythms by Josette & Ba Luvmour. Can you tell I have a (nearly) three year old? I hope that the bulk of her education can be done at home and I've got to prepare!
Finally, Francesco, I recommend to you Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller, which fits your current theme. It's a bit more mundane than Junky, but it does have the advantage of being set in France in the 30's. Good stuff.
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