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The Laws of Thought

The Quest for a Mathematical Theory of the Mind
By Tom Griffiths
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Brief Description
From the coauthor of Algorithms to Live By, an exploration of the quest to use mathematics to describe the ways we think, from its origins three hundred years ago to the ideas behind modern AI systems and the ways in which they still differ from human... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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From the coauthor of Algorithms to Live By, an exploration of the quest to use mathematics to describe the ways we think, from its origins three hundred years ago to the ideas behind modern AI systems and the ways in which they still differ from human minds.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

From the coauthor of Algorithms to Live By, an exploration of the quest to use mathematics to describe the ways we think, from its origins three hundred years ago to the ideas behind modern AI systems and the ways in which they still differ from human minds.

Everyone has a basic understanding of how the physical world works. We learn about physics and chemistry in school, allowing us to explain the world around us in terms of concepts like force, acceleration, and gravity—the Laws of Nature. However, we don't possess the same fluency with the concepts needed to understand the world inside us—the Laws of Thought. While the story of how mathematics has been used to unveil the mysteries of the universe is familiar, the story of its use in studying the mind remains largely untold.

There is no one better to tell that story than Tom Griffiths, the head of Princeton's AI Lab and a renowned expert in cognitive science. In this groundbreaking book, he explains the three major approaches to formalising thought—rules and symbols, neural networks, and probability and statistics—introducing each idea through the stories of the people behind it. As informed conversations about thought, language, and learning become ever more pressing in the age of AI, The Laws of Thought is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of technology.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008711498

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 February 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: William Collins

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 270g

Pages: 336

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About the Author

Tom Griffiths is the Henry R. Luce Professor of Information Technology, Consciousness and Culture in the Departments of Psychology and Computer Science at Princeton University. He also directs Priceton's Computational Cognitive Science Lab, a research group focused on understanding the mathematical foundations of human cognition, and the Princeton Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence, a new effort that supports innovative research efforts in AI and related fields. Griffiths is coauthor of the book Algorithms to Live By and has published over 400 academic papers in venues that include Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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