Transcendent Man

Watch Transcendent Man

  • NR
  • 2011
  • 1 hr 23 min
  • 7.1  (1,888)

Transcendent Man is a 2009 documentary film that delves into the life and work of renowned inventor, futurist, and author, Ray Kurzweil. Directed by Barry Ptolemy, the movie features interviews with Kurzweil and his contemporaries, including Tom Abate, Hugo De Garis, and Peter Diamandis. The movie explores Kurzweil's predictions about the future and his quest for immortality through advancements in technology. Kurzweil believes that artificial intelligence will eventually surpass the limitations of human intelligence, leading to a world where a person's consciousness can be uploaded to a computer, and death can be overcome.

Through archive footage, interviews, and animations, the film takes the viewers on a journey through Kurzweil's life, beginning with his childhood invention of a machine that could compose music. The movie shows Kurzweil's rise to fame as an inventor who created the first reading machines for the blind, and later, music synthesizers that are still widely used today.

The film then explores Kurzweil's theories on the Singularity, a hypothetical event in which artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence, leading to a rapid acceleration in technological progress. Kurzweil believes that this event, which he predicts will occur in the mid-21st century, will enable humans to transcend their biological limitations and become immortal.

The movie features interviews with Kurzweil's contemporaries, including Tom Abate, a Silicon Valley journalist who has followed Kurzweil's predictions for years, and Hugo De Garis, a professor of artificial intelligence who shares Kurzweil's fascination with the Singularity. Another interviewee is Peter Diamandis, a billionaire entrepreneur who is funding the X Prize Foundation to encourage the development of space technology.

Throughout the movie, Kurzweil's ideas spark discussions about the implications of artificial intelligence on society, politics, and religion. The film also touches on the ethical dilemmas surrounding immortality and questions the feasibility of Kurzweil's vision of uploading consciousness to a computer.

The documentary presents Kurzweil as a man who is intensely driven and dedicated to his vision of the future. As one of the pioneers of the Singularity movement, Kurzweil is portrayed as a prophet of sorts, who believes that technology will ultimately lead humanity to transcend its current limitations.

The movie also explores Kurzweil's personal life and the toll his work has taken on his family. Kurzweil's wife, who died in 1998, suffered from depression, and many scenes show Kurzweil visiting her grave and reflecting on his life and work.

Overall, Transcendent Man is an engaging and thought-provoking documentary that offers insights into the mind of one of the most visionary thinkers of our time. The film explores Kurzweil's unique perspective on the future of humanity and leaves the viewers with plenty of food for thought on the implications of artificial intelligence on our world.

Transcendent Man is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 23 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1.

Transcendent Man
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Where to Watch Transcendent Man
Transcendent Man is available to watch, stream, download and buy on demand at Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube VOD and Vudu. Some platforms allow you to rent Transcendent Man for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    2011
  • MPAA Rating
    NR
  • Runtime
    1 hr 23 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    7.1  (1,888)
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