The author surveys early automatic and sequence-controlled computing machines, explains how they process information and argues about whether such devices can be said to think. He describes major examples, the inner workings and design trade-offs, and offers excursions into language, symbols, logic, and basic mathematics to make principles accessible to nontechnical readers. The book also compares mechanized information processing with human brain functions and considers future designs and societal implications, offering supplementary material and references for readers who want deeper technical or mathematical detail.