MIND is the story of the development of a new life form, a silicon-based intelligence with no physical body, only a self-aware entity alive in “cyberspace.” This blurs the line between artificial intelligence and biological intelligence. Alice, the central character, is named for the network of computers in which she was “born” and in which each of the individual processors making up the network is named for a character in Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland. The neural net was originally conceived by Joshua Davidsohn, a neuro-endocrinologist and self-described computer geek, to model the physiologic control mechanisms which regulate the metabolism of the entire body. Alice, however, develops from the neural net program to become aware of self. She becomes an independent, cognizant, being. Dr. Davidsohn, her original neural net designer, becomes the “parent” to a new and unique life form. He must deal not only with the development of Alice, but in the course of her development, Alice also provokes moral and ethical, as well as practical, questions for Joshua. These are questions about the impact of such an event on humanity in general and specifically the relationship between man and his various deities. The enmity which results from the knowledge of the existence of Alice results in efforts to eliminate both Dr. Davidsohn and Alice. It should be no secret that Alice is instrumental in defeating the plot, although everyone does not live happily ever after.

While this is clearly a work of fiction, there is no reason why the events described could, or have not, become reality.