from the fruits of science
a great filter looms
AITHER is a bright but otherwise ordinary kid with caring parents, plenty of playmates, and a safe, stimulating, and comfortable home. Or so it seems to Aither, until bit by bit, everything about life is revealed to have deeper layers of complexity and meaning, including the fact that the fate of the planet is at stake.
—
EPOCH is science fiction infused with philosophy, psychology, and mythology, all brought together as an epic poem with extensive references. It is not recommended for casual consumption; in the words of Herman Melville, “read it if you can.”
This is a story about the first fully human level artificial general intelligence, narrated as a sort of memoir from its own point of view. It is science fiction, of course, but is also filled with philosophical and psychological musings about topics like identity and purpose, future selves, the importance of beauty, the nature and ethics of technological progress, cultural influence and hegemony, humanity’s tragic flaws, and existential risk.
FRONT COVER ART: Bob Thompson (1937–1966), Black Monster, 1959, oil on canvas, 56 3/4 x 66 1/8 inches / 144.1 x 168 cm, signed; © Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
Sign up for notifications
You will receive notifications of virtual discussion and reading sessions as well as blog updates and other book news. Your information will not be shared with third parties. You can unsubscribe at any time by replying to one of the messages.
Readers say
Dave Jilk has rendered poetry relevant again, grappling with its historic prophetic task. Epoch is a refreshing page-turner, more salient than any newsflash, more challenging than any political squabble, more moving than most magazine verse. It is a true epic, despite its incorporation of dozens of genres, styles and voices. And it faces a supreme challenge of our times: will we be superseded by our own intelligent creations? With splendid effrontery, Jilk counters the dystopias yet delivers a real tragedy, then somehow celebrates the result. This is a work that desperately needs to be read and argued with; we will have to dig deep, deep into our messy biotic human nature to find values that can match a world of pleasant security and abundance.
— Frederick Turner, Ph.D., Nobel-nominated author of Epic: Form, Content, and History, and the epic poems The New World, Genesis, and Apocalypse
Epoch is a flowing story and an accessible epic poem that dramatizes how we might create our digital offspring, and a lyrical exploration of the nature of mind, meaning, and value. Based on the best of our cognitive science and philosophy, it is the most detailed and realistic account yet written of our potential future with artificial intelligence.
— Seth Herd, Ph.D., Research Fellow in AGI Alignment, Astera Institute
An epic poem about emergent AI. A story that will suck you in and make you think. A puzzle of language, meaning, and relationships. Epoch is a strange and compelling work of art. It isn't for everyone, but if it hits you the right way, you'll feel the echo of that connection long after you reach the end.
— Eliot Peper, author of eleven novels, including the science fiction works Foundry, Reap3r, and Veil
A brilliantly original sci-fi work, Epoch is a philosophical odyssey that chronicles the rise of a sentient AI from its conception and training toward its ultimate realization. Will AI become mankind's downfall—or its salvation? Equal parts thought-provoking and engrossing, Epoch is an epic tale destined to become a classic.
— Tony Pelham, playwright, technologist, and co-author of Twisted Links
Epoch stands out among recent AI fiction, with a refreshing plot informed by substantive technical detail. It's a different format—an epic poem—and is more challenging to read than most science fiction. But it's worth it because it slows you down to really think, which makes the extensive interweaving of the ideas and references even richer.
— Brad Feld, venture capitalist and co-author of Venture Deals
About the Author
Dave Jilk is the author of two collections of lyric poetry, co-author of The Entrepreneur’s Weekly Nietzsche: A Book for Disruptors, and lead or co-author of several academic papers on cognitive neuroscience and on existential concerns related to artificial intelligence. A former technology entrepreneur and consultant, he holds a BSc in Computer Science and Engineering from MIT. Dave and his wife live outside Boulder, Colorado and love to explore the mountains and wilderness across the west.
Dave wrote EPOCH to elaborate his thoughts on how a future with fully human-level artificial intelligence might take shape … and found that the subject pulled in some unexpected directions.
Contact the author
If you have questions or thoughts you wish to share about the book, or want to schedule a reading or interview, please feel free to contact me.