tech
February 25, 2026
Michael Pollan Punctures the AI Bubble
His new book, about the mystery of consciousness, strengthens the case that technology will never truly replicate humans.
TL;DR
- For 500 years, science has diminished humanity's perceived specialness, but consciousness remains an unsolved mystery.
- Artificial intelligence marketers claim they can bridge the gap of consciousness, a claim the article and Michael Pollan's book suggest is likely false.
- Pollan's book, *A World Appears*, explores consciousness by examining plants, feeling, thought, and the self.
- Feeling, not computation, is presented as a necessary precursor to consciousness, something machines struggle to replicate.
- The article argues that the "computer-as-brain" metaphor breaks down, citing research where a single neuron can perform tasks of an entire AI network.
- The AI hype is framed as an economic rather than purely scientific endeavor, driven by a desire to replace expensive human labor.
- The enduring mystery of consciousness, as explored by Pollan, reintroduces a sense of wonder that technology has tried to replace.
- Ultimately, the article posits that humanity's inability to fully define consciousness is what makes us human.
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