Book Background
My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla is not a traditional autobiography written as a single, continuous narrative late in Tesla’s life. Instead, it was originally published as a series of six articles in the magazine Electrical Experimenter throughout 1919. Written by Tesla himself, these articles were a response to popular demand for him to share his life story and explain his groundbreaking work. The articles covered his early life, education, mental processes, major inventions (like the induction motor and wireless technology), and philosophical views. These articles were later compiled and published together in book form, with a notable compilation occurring in 1977, bringing this fragmented autobiography into a more accessible format for readers.
General Themes & Major Takeaways
A central theme is the apparent coexistence and integration of Tesla’s faith in God and his commitment to reason and rationality. He did not seem to view these as contradictory but rather complementary, and he appeared willing and committed to navigating this paradox throughout his life and work.
Tesla made significant predictions about future technological developments. He foresaw a massive increase in the deadly power of military equipment and argued for the urgent development of flying machines and wireless communications as necessary steps to avert a potential global calamity.
Much of this book highlights a connection between knowledge work, theology, and Christianity in his formative years, suggesting a divine origin for intellectual capacity and a spiritual dimension to focused mental effort.
Observations on Tesla’s Character and Mind
He describes a remarkable ability akin to photographic memory, allowing him to visualize complex schematics precisely in his mind before building them physically.
He appeared to experience persistent synesthesia, reporting that he visibly saw images others did not, experiences he did not consider to be delusions.
Based on his self-descriptions, he exhibited characteristics that sound similar to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
He claimed to have successfully overcome an addiction to gambling and asserted that he could conquer any passions through sheer discipline.
He transitioned from being left-handed to becoming ambidextrous.
He appears to tell what the reader might perceive as “tall tales” throughout the autobiography. While he sounds sincere, this prompts a desire to fact-check his claims. It’s important to remember his historical reputation for not always being perceived as completely sane when interpreting these accounts.
Background and Influences
He grew up under significant Christian influence, as his father was a clergyman.
His mother had an adept mind and was constantly devising new gadgets to help her with her home work at home. Had circumstances played out differently in her life, Tesla thought she surely would have been an avid significant inventor.
His parents strongly desired for him to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a clergyman, a path he ultimately did not pursue.
Notable Quotes
“I feel convinced that the act of preservation was not entirely of my own power, but was divinely attributed.”
(Quoting his mother) “The gift of mental power comes from God. Divine being. And if we concentrate our minds on that truth we become in tune with its great power.” My mother taught me to seek all truth in the Bible.
Specific Technical and Philosophical Views
He introduced a field of study he called “Tele-automatics,” which aligns significantly with modern concepts of robotics and machine learning. He believed that automata could eventually “appear to possess reason.”
He expressed conviction in the possibility of perpetual motion and dedicated efforts to try and implement it despite the fact that it is nearly unanimously agreed to be impossible.
He detailed his pioneering work on building wireless-controlled robots (automata), starting active work in 1893. He described public demonstrations of a complete machine in 1898 which generated considerable excitement and sensation.
He articulated a theory he termed the “automatism of life,” proposing that humans function as “automata entirely controlled by the forces of the medium,” suggesting that actions are responses to external impulses rather than manifestations of free will.
Related to his theory of automatism, he described experiencing a unique “cosmic pain” when he or those he cared about were treated unfairly. This pain, invariably followed by misfortune for the inflictor, was seen by him as evidence for his theory and indicative of a heightened “mechanical sense” in well-tuned individuals.
Within his discussion on automatism, he noted that “every individual clings to faith in a supreme power of some kind.” This simultaneous affirmation of a higher power alongside a mechanistic view of human function represents a complex aspect of his philosophy.
He advocated for the use of Telautomatics (remotely controlled machines) as a superior alternative to traditional guns in warfare.
Anecdotes
He recounted a particularly disheartening moment from his youth when his father dismissed his significant academic accolades from professors. Years later, he learned after his father’s passing that the professors had secretly written to his father, warning that Tesla’s intense dedication might lead him to work himself to death. This revealed that his father’s dismissiveness was likely born out of paternal concern and an attempt to protect him.