Unknowable Minds - Imprint Academic

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Imagine that in the cold heart of a secret military facility, a new form of intelligence awakens. It is a synthetic mind born from intricate algorithms and complex computations, operating in ways unfathomable to its human creators. Charged with safeguarding national security, this intelligence orchestrates strategies that defy human ethics and laws of war, leaving its creators both awed and unnerved.

Unknowable Minds delves into the unsettling reality of entrusting our safety to an intelligence that lacks human essence. As we navigate the Age of Artificial Intelligence, these systems — powering everything from our smartphones to military defenses — remain inherently opaque and unpredictable. The book explores how AI differs from any technology we've ever developed, its inherent complexities, and the profound risks it poses to our future.

Drawing on philosophy, AI theory, and national security insights, this book offers a thought-provoking examination of AI’s potential and peril. From the complexities of neural networks to the unpredictable nature of emergent behaviors, Unknowable Minds challenges us to rethink our relationship with AI and its role in the theater of global security.

Can we control an unknowable intellect, or will it redefine human existence? As we stand on the precipice of unprecedented technological advancement, understanding and navigating the unknowable minds of artificial intelligences become a quest fraught with extraordinary challenges and existential questions.
Credit: U.S. Representative 2007-2023,Jerry McNerney

"Unknowable Minds is timely, informative, and easy to read. Mark Bailey has assembled a coherent narrative about Artificial Intelligence specifically focused on national defense applications. He seamlessly introduces the reader to topics such as algorithmic incompressibility and makes sense of them in a context of jus in bello and Lethal Autonomous Weapons. This type of thinking is critical in today's environment in which there are serious questions about our ability to understand and control AI as it is being integrated into military procurements and planning, and into implementation in the Ukraine's defense against the Russian invasion. Our world may be a safer place if more leaders contemplated its lessons."

Credit: Lt Gen John (Jack) N.T. Shanahan (USAF, Ret.)

"Mark Bailey's Unknowable Minds is an essential addition to the AI and national security discourse. Written by a practitioner for practitioners, Bailey’s insightful work equips national security experts and policymakers with the philosophical and ethical tools needed to navigate the rise of increasingly complex AI. He offers a compelling framework to ensure that, however advanced AI for national security becomes, human agency remains front and center. His superb analysis highlights the necessity of international cooperation to prevent a global AI race to the bottom. A thought-provoking and indispensable read!"

Jun 9, 2025

https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/AUPress/Book-Reviews/Display/Article/4209408/unknowable-minds-philosophical-insights-on-ai-and-autonomous-weapons/

Source: Air University Press

Credit: Captain Ethan McGraw

"In Unknowable Minds, Mark Bailey offers a compelling philosophical investigation into the challenges of using artificial intelligence (AI) in national security matters... Bailey's work is more relevant now than ever due to AI becoming more integrated into all industries, including the military... Bailey’s book is a thought-provoking and necessary read for anyone interested in AI ethics, AI military strategy, or the ethics of AI technology in warfare."

Oct 27, 2025

https://cybercanon.org/unknowable-minds-philosophical-insights-on-ai-and-autonomous-weapons/

Source: Cyber Canon

Credit: Jeff Pierdomenico

"Unknowable Minds is a thought-provoking and rewarding read... Bailey's work feels both timely and essential."
Paperback
- Publication Date: 04 February 2025
- ISBN-13: 9781788361286
- Product Content: Text (eye-readable)
- Extent: Absolute page count : 192
- Code: 9781788361286
- Dimensions: 15.6 x 23.5 x 1.1 cm
- Weight: 300 grams
- Packaging Type: No outer packaging
- List Price: £17.95
- ONIX Version 2.1, Version 3
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Title: Unknowable Minds
Subtitle: Philosophical Insights on AI and Autonomous Weapons
Author: Mark Bailey
Prize: Silver Medal Award, Military Writers Society of America
Language: English
Publisher: Imprint Academic
Imprint: Imprint Academic

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