Librería Portfolio

Algorithms are probably the most sophisticated tools that people have had at their disposal since the beginnings of human history. They have transformed science, industry, society. They upset the concepts of work, property, government, private life, even humanity. Going easily from one extreme to the other, we rejoice that they make life easier for us, but fear that they will enslave us. To get beyond this vision of good vs evil, this book takes a new look at our time, the age of algorithms. Creations of the human spirit, algorithms are what we made them. And they will be what we want them to be: it´s up to us to choose the world we want to live in.

The authors, both eminent computer scientists, avoid simplistic analysis, avoiding both technophile enthusiasm and apocalyptic technophobia
Examines issues raised by algorithms, in particular work, property, government and privacy, from technical, philosophical, and societal perspectives
Explains complex and technical issues in terms everyone can understand



Table of Contents

1. Algorithms intrigue, algorithms disturb
2. What is an algorithm?
3. Algorithms, computers, and programs
4. What algorithms do
5. What algorithms don´t do
6. Computational thinking
7. The end of employment
8. The end of work
9. The end of property
10. Governing in the age of algorithms
11. An algorithm in the community
12. The responsibility of algorithms
13. Personal data and privacy
14. Fairness, transparency, and diversity
15. Computers and ecology
16. Computer science education
17. The augmented human
18. Can an algorithm be intelligent?
19. Can an algorithm have feelings? 20. Time to choose.