Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!visdc!jiii
From: jiii@visdc.UUCP (John E Van Deusen III)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Building a brain
Message-ID: <659@visdc.UUCP>
Date: 28 Oct 89 21:21:15 GMT
References: <14079@well.UUCP> <10175@venera.isi.edu> <246@carmine9.UUCP> <3554@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> <2556@uceng.UC.EDU>
Reply-To: jiii@visdc.UUCP (John E Van Deusen III)
Distribution: comp
Organization: VI Software Development, Boise, Idaho
Lines: 38

In article <2556@uceng.UC.EDU> dmocsny@uceng.UC.EDU (daniel mocsny)
writes:
> ...
> Even if building a human(like) intelligence in hardware/software
> proves to be impossible for some reason, we still have much to gain
> by implementing parts of human intelligence.

Although we are presently incapable of building even "rodent(like)"
intelligence into our machines, if it "proves" to be impossible, then by
definition neither humans nor rodents can be exist.  But they do.
I will grant that humans may never get around to it, but it is certainly
possible to achieve the human level of intelligence in a finite automata
-- it's already been done!

I think that the original poster, and others of us, are anticipating
rather something more.  It seems to me that once a machine reaches the
level of a rabbit or a dog, then the human level is just another point
on the axis of a continuum.  Suddenly you are confronted with a
microwave oven in possession of more intelligence, stored knowledge,
empathy, consciousness, understanding, and even pure soul than has
heretofore been exhibited by all the humans who ever walked the earth;
past, present and future.  And next year's model; it's even better.

What the machines would do next could hardly be relevant to us "dinosaur
people".  We could, of course, all go back to the Garden of Eden, but I
suspect that we might eventually, mercifully, blow ourselves up.
I doubt it would really be much different if aliens appeared who could
answer every one of our questions and make all of our Gods dance naked
in the palms of their paws.  Contact with vastly superior cultures, take
for instance the landing of Cortez in Mexico, has always had the effect
of destroying certain central societal myths held by the inferior
culture.  These myths, it is said, are essential for maintaining our
gumption to get up in the morning and get to work on creating artificial
intelligence.
--
John E Van Deusen III, PO Box 9283, Boise, ID  83707, (208) 343-1865

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