A Brief History of Intelligence

Max Bennett chronicles the five evolutionary "breakthroughs" that shaped human intelligence, from early pattern recognition to language and social cognition. The book bridges neuroscience and AI, revealing how understanding brain evolution can help shape the next generation of artificial intelligence breakthroughs. Bennett explores why modern AI still struggles with tasks humans find simple, like loading a dishwasher, despite mastering complex games like chess.

7 sections ยท 24 lessons

Course outline

Foundations

  1. Evolution & Intelligence
  2. AI Paradox
  3. Intelligence Defined
  4. Foundations

Neural Origins

  1. Neural Architecture
  2. Bilateral Brains
  3. Neural Origins

Primitive Systems

  1. Steering
  2. Emotion Dimensions
  3. Associative Learning
  4. Primitive Systems

Vertebrate Leap

  1. Cambrian Vertebrates
  2. Dopamine Signals
  3. Action Selection
  4. Vertebrate Leap

Mammalian Brain

  1. Internal Maps
  2. Mental Simulation
  3. Vicarious Trial
  4. Episodic Memory
  5. Mammalian Brain

Mental Time Travel

  1. Planning
  2. Mental Time Travel

Social Intelligence

  1. Mentalizing
  2. Theory of Mind
  3. PFC Models
  4. Imitation
  5. Human Instincts
  6. Language
  7. AI Pattern Masters
  8. AI Future
  9. Social Intelligence

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