--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once you acknowledge that human brains…" description: "\"Once you acknowledge that human brains are basically made of atoms and acknowledge that atoms are governed by simple laws of physics, then there is no ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/jaan-tallinn-26715_computers_once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-a_1885526.jpg" --- # Once you acknowledge that human brains are basically made… ![“Once you acknowledge that human brains are basically made of atoms and acknowledge that atoms are governed by simple laws of physics, then there is no reasoning principle why computers couldn't do anything that people are doing, and we don't really see any evidence that this is not the case.” quote by Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/jaan-tallinn-26715_computers_once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-a_1885526.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/jaan-tallinn-26715_computers_once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-a_1885526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/jaan-tallinn-26715_computers_once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-a_1885526.jpg) > “Once you acknowledge that human brains are basically made of atoms and acknowledge that atoms are governed by simple laws of physics, then there is no reasoning principle why computers couldn't do anything that people are doing, and we don't really see any evidence that this is not the case.” [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If brains follow physical laws, computers could replicate human tasks; evidence for limits is lacking. **In simple terms:** Physics suggests computers could do anything humans can. Key Takeaway Consider AI’s potential to match human capabilities. Themes AI philosophy physics Mood speculative thoughtful Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - automation - research - policy making Key Concepts computational theory mind-body problem technology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of human cognition resist computation? - How should society prepare for AI parity? A Different Perspective Assuming equivalence may overlook consciousness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Laws of physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-of-physics/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [The hope is that, in not too many years, human brains and computing machines will be coupled together very tightly, and that the resulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-r-licklider/the-hope-is-that-in-not-too-many-years-human-brains-and-computing/) [J. C. R. Licklider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-r-licklider/) > [... the fallibility of human brains is in nothing more obvious than in proof reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/the-fallibility-of-human-brains-is-in-nothing-more-obvious-than-in/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [as all clocks need winding, so all human brains and bodies need to be wound up by sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mcnair-wright/as-all-clocks-need-winding-so-all-human-brains-and-bodies-need-to-be/) [Julia McNair Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mcnair-wright/) > [One of the most impressive features of brains - and especially human brains - is the flexibility to learn almost any kind of task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/one-of-the-most-impressive-features-of-brains-and-especially-human/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [When brains get sufficiently big, presumably, as human brains have, consciousness seems to emerge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/when-brains-get-sufficiently-big-presumably-as-human-brains-have/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“There is more information in one thimble of reality than can be understood by a galaxy of human brains. It is beyond the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/there-is-more-information-in-one-thimble-of-reality-than-can-be/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Any attempt to reduce the complex properties of biological organisms or of nervous systems or of human brains to simple physical and chemical systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/any-attempt-to-reduce-the-complex-properties-of-biological-organisms/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [“These systems,” said Armour, referring to human brains, “are the product of evolution, optimized by evolution for a world which no longer exists; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/these-systems-said-armour-referring-to-human-brains-are-the-product/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [“It all starts with the fact that thinking is expensive from the standpoint of natural selection,” Mitchell continues. “The brain consumes 20 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reid/it-all-starts-with-the-fact-that-thinking-is-expensive-from-the/) [Rob Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reid/) > [“Every Human has two brains, one which is physical and the other is virtual connected to the other Lokas or vast network.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghuveer-maganti/every-human-has-two-brains-one-which-is-physical-and-the-other-is/) [RAGHUVEER MAGANTI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghuveer-maganti/) > [We learn more about how human brains work. And that leads us to ideas about how to make human brains work better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/we-learn-more-about-how-human-brains-work-and-that-leads-us-to-ideas/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [“But one thing is certain: every day in America, thousands of people appear before a jury of their peers and hope they will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-feldman-barrett/but-one-thing-is-certain-every-day-in-america-thousands-of-people/) [Lisa Feldman Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-feldman-barrett/) > [“The computers in which memes live are human brains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-computers-in-which-memes-live-are-human-brains/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Some of the fantasy objects arising from cybernetic totalism (like the noosphere, which is a supposed global brain formed by the sum of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaron-lanier/some-of-the-fantasy-objects-arising-from-cybernetic-totalism-like-the/) [Jaron Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaron-lanier/) > [It is astonishing that human brains, which evolved to cope with the everyday world, have been able to grasp the counterintuitive mysteries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/it-is-astonishing-that-human-brains-which-evolved-to-cope-with-the/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) ## More by Jaan Tallinn > [I used to have the very standard worldview. I can easily identify with people who see computers getting faster and smarter, and technology getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/i-used-to-have-the-very-standard-worldview-i-can-easily-identify-with/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [Technology keeps progressing. Young people follow the curve. But as they get older, they get inertia, and they start deviating from that curve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/technology-keeps-progressing-young-people-follow-the-curve-but-as/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [I myself am also a small investor in Slack, and one can count four to five IM platforms that were launched by Skype alumni…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/i-myself-am-also-a-small-investor-in-slack-and-one-can-count-four-to/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [Once we have something that is no longer under control, once technological development is yanked out of our hands, it doesn't have to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/once-we-have-something-that-is-no-longer-under-control-once/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [Incentive schemes, whereby people who have done the most good for humanity are rewarded 20 years into the future, would create the expectation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/incentive-schemes-whereby-people-who-have-done-the-most-good-for/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [Giving the control over powerful AI to the highest bidder is unlikely to lead to the best world we can imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/giving-the-control-over-powerful-ai-to-the-highest-bidder-is-unlikely/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [It really sucks to be the number two intelligent species on this planet; you can just ask gorillas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/it-really-sucks-to-be-the-number-two-intelligent-species-on-this/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [There is no shortage of embarrassing facts about healthcare, and people die every day in the U.S. due to preventable errors - would you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/there-is-no-shortage-of-embarrassing-facts-about-healthcare-and/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [Healthcare is the only civil system where new technology makes prices go up instead of down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/healthcare-is-the-only-civil-system-where-new-technology-makes-prices/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [We don't exactly have the opposite interests to chimpanzees. However, things are not looking up for the chimpanzees, because we control their environment. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/we-don-t-exactly-have-the-opposite-interests-to-chimpanzees-however/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [Building advanced AI is like launching a rocket. The first challenge is to maximize acceleration, but once it starts picking up speed, you also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/building-advanced-ai-is-like-launching-a-rocket-the-first-challenge/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [I was born behind the Iron Curtain, and I remember heated discussions about large-scale terra-forming projects, such as reversing the direction of the river…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/i-was-born-behind-the-iron-curtain-and-i-remember-heated-discussions/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [The main reason I backed DeepMind was strategic: I see my role as bridging the AI research and AI safety communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/the-main-reason-i-backed-deepmind-was-strategic-i-see-my-role-as/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [I sometimes joke that I can take personal responsibility for saving one million human relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/i-sometimes-joke-that-i-can-take-personal-responsibility-for-saving/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [In my view, the fact that computers caught up to humans and completely dominate humans in chess and some other domains already, that says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/in-my-view-the-fact-that-computers-caught-up-to-humans-and-completely/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) [Explore all 21 Jaan Tallinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once you acknowledge that human brains are basically made of atoms and acknowledge that atoms are governed by simple laws of physics, then there is no reasoning principle why computers couldn't do anything that people are doing, and we don't really see any evidence that this is not the case.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jaan Tallinn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-are-basically-made-of-atoms/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-are-basically-made-of-atoms/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/jaan-tallinn-26715_computers_once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-a_1885526.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/jaan-tallinn-26715_computers_once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-a_1885526.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/jaan-tallinn-26715_computers_once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-a_1885526.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once you acknowledge that human brains are basically made of atoms and acknowledge that atoms are governed…” — Jaan Tallinn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jaan Tallinn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Once you acknowledge that human brains...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-are-basically-made-of-atoms/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/once-you-acknowledge-that-human-brains-are-basically-made-of-atoms/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```