Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!well!nagle From: nagle@well.sf.ca.us (John Nagle) Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy Subject: Re: Conciousness Message-ID: <24592@well.sf.ca.us> Date: 5 May 91 08:12:31 GMT References: <2102@seti.inria.fr> <2124@seti.inria.fr> <11611@uwm.edu> <74193@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> Lines: 15 >> >>In article <2124@seti.inria.fr> ziane@nuri.inria.fr (ziane mikal @) writes: >>>I can easily immagine an intelligent computer and I can also immagine >>>a computer with a conciousness. However I have some difficulty to immagine >>>a computer having pain. I have some difficulty to understand what it means. It's quite useful for even rather simple robots to have a pain system. Pain and fear are fundamental mechanisms for improving the odds of survival. Nor is it necessary that something be intelligent to have emotions. Emotions evolved to meet some need. They're part of a control system. Understanding how simple emotions work in animals, and emulating it in both robots and animations, appears a fruitful area for research. John Nagle