The Laws of Thought
The Quest for a Mathematical Theory of the Mind
Will be published approx. on 12. February 2026
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-0-00-871148-1 (ISBN)
Description
From the coauthor of Algorithms to Live By, an exploration of the quest to use mathematics to describe the ways we think, from its origins three hundred years ago to the ideas behind modern AI systems and the ways in which they still differ from human minds.
Everyone has a basic understanding of how the physical world works. We learn about physics and chemistry in school, letting us explain the world around us in terms of concepts like force, acceleration, and gravity-the Laws of Nature. But we don't have the same fluency with concepts needed to understand the world inside us-the Laws of Thought. While the story of how mathematics has been used to reveal the mysteries of the universe is familiar, the story of how it has been used to study the mind is not.
There is no one better to tell that story than Tom Griffiths, the head of Princeton's AI Lab and a renowned expert in the field of cognitive science. In this groundbreaking book, he explains the three major approaches to formalizing thought-rules and symbols, neural networks, and probability and statistics-introducing each idea through the stories of the people behind it. As informed conversations about thought, language, and learning become ever more pressing in the age of AI, The Laws of Thought is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of technology.
Everyone has a basic understanding of how the physical world works. We learn about physics and chemistry in school, letting us explain the world around us in terms of concepts like force, acceleration, and gravity-the Laws of Nature. But we don't have the same fluency with concepts needed to understand the world inside us-the Laws of Thought. While the story of how mathematics has been used to reveal the mysteries of the universe is familiar, the story of how it has been used to study the mind is not.
There is no one better to tell that story than Tom Griffiths, the head of Princeton's AI Lab and a renowned expert in the field of cognitive science. In this groundbreaking book, he explains the three major approaches to formalizing thought-rules and symbols, neural networks, and probability and statistics-introducing each idea through the stories of the people behind it. As informed conversations about thought, language, and learning become ever more pressing in the age of AI, The Laws of Thought is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of technology.
Reviews / Votes
"Tom Griffiths offers a fascinating journey through the frameworks that have shaped our understanding of the mind. From early logic to artificial intelligence, Griffiths-the head of Princeton's AI Lab-unpacks the math behind how we have tried to capture human thinking. Blending history, science, and cutting-edge research, this book is about the deep connections between artificial and human intelligence, and is a must-read for anyone curious about how we think, and how machines are learning to rival us."-Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit and Supercommunicators
"The Laws of Thought is an engaging tour of how great minds have used math to crack the code of human thought. With delightful story-telling and memorable examples you'll want to share with friends, Griffiths provides an essential guide for understanding the history of cognitive science and for how to best think about what intelligence means in a more AI-filled future."
-Laurie Santos, Professor of Psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast
"In The Laws of Thought, Tom Griffiths invites readers on a captivating exploration of the historical milestones that have shaped our understanding of intelligence. His insights illuminate the evolving relationship between human thought and artificial intelligence, encouraging us to reflect on what it truly means to be intelligent in an age dominated by machines. This book is an indispensable resource for navigating the complexities of our AI-driven world. Griffiths masterfully bridges the gap between theory and practicality, making it a must-read for both scholars and curious minds alike."
-Annie Duke, author of Thinking in Bets
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
614 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-871148-1 (9780008711481)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2026
William Collins
€17.49
Available for download
Person
Tom Griffiths is the Henry R. Luce Professor of Information Technology, Consciousness and Culture in the Departments of Psychology and Computer Science at Princeton University. He also directs Priceton's Computational Cognitive Science Lab, a research group focused on understanding the mathematical foundations of human cognition, and the Princeton Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence, a new effort that supports innovative research efforts in AI and related fields. Griffiths is coauthor of the book Algorithms to Live By and has published over 400 academic papers in venues that include Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.