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From: eskt@holin.ATT.COM (Eddie Tam)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Emperor's New Mind
Keywords: Penrose, AI, physics
Message-ID: <851@holin.ATT.COM>
Date: 23 Dec 89 22:35:15 GMT
Organization: AT&T DSG Holmdel NJ USA
Lines: 34

Has anyone read the new book, "The Emperor's New Mind, concerning computers,
minds, and the laws of physics", written by the noted British mathematical
physicist, Roger Penrose?

He is an opponent to the theory of strong AI, which basically claims
that intelligence and consciousness is all a matter of algorithm; the
actual physical implementation is essentially insignificant.

Penrose speculates that there is a component of consciousness which
is inherently non-algorithmic in nature, and therefore cannot be
'recreated' by an intrinsically algorithmic computer.

Penrose further suggests that the possible origin of this non-algorithmic 
component of consciousness to be some quantum-mechanical effect which
involves the yet-to-be discovered theory of quantum gravity. He speculates
that quantum gravity has the characteristic of being deterministic but
yet non-computable; somewhat akin to the growth of quasi-crystals.

Penrose is a very brave man. In the same book, not only does he take
on the argument against strong AI, he also expresses his opposition to
the widely accepted quantum-mechanical view of reality being non-objective.

This is an excellent book (even if you disagree with him totally), and it
is getting rave reviews in British magazines and journals such as the
Economist, and Nature. Curiously, I have yet to be able to find a review
of it in an American magazine or journal. Is this a case of Trans-Atlantic
snobbery, or just my oversight?


Eddie Tam
AT&T Bell Labs,
Holmdel, NJ, 07724
Rm 2L-333
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