And all of this is coming sooner than we think, according to Kurzweil and fellow futurists. Using the evidence of Moore's Law concerning the doubling of computer power as a paradigm, Kurzweil identifies exponential growth in the capacity of information technology with a biblical sweep that stretches from the beginning through six epochs:

1. Physics and Chemistry -- from the big bang through the entire prelife era of the universe.

2. Biology and DNA -- stretching from the beginning of life on earth.

3. Brains -- the advent of human dominance.

4. Technology -- approaching culmination in the 20th century.