Outstanding review Francesco, and thanks for the kind words by you and Bob.
While I haven't finished the book yet (hardcover), I agree with everything you say about the way the book gets you to think about how you, well, think(!), perceive, predict and remember. It is a very well written book and the use of analogies really helps keep the complicated/technical parts readable. This is truly a must-read for anyone interested in the future of computing, intelligent machines, and the study of human intelligence and the brain.
There is one advantage to having a hardcover: I was able to get it signed by Mr. Hawkins when I went to see him speak at MIT's Technology and Culture Forum earlier this month. I am very glad I went: I got to see and hear him talk about "On Intelligence" and his memory-prediction theory of cortical intelligence. He was very excited and enthusiastic about his work and the work of the Redwood Neuroscience Institute. He's very bullish about the prospect of accomplishing his goal of understanding cortical intelligence, and the implications for business, technology, and computing, as well as the societal and cultural implications are enormous. He's truly a brilliant guy, and very down to earth. If he's able to accomplish his goal and prove his theory and understand intelligence, I think he'll be a very likely candidate for a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
On a side note: Jeff briefly discussed user interfaces in reponse to a question from an audience member. According to Jeff, well designed GUI/UIs are simple, hierarchical, repeatable, and logical, making tasks, navigation, and conventions easily learned and memorized. Go figure
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Brian