Xref: utzoo comp.ai:5342 talk.philosophy.misc:3403 sci.philosophy.tech:1862 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!think!snorkelwacker!spdcc!xylogics!linus!mbunix!bwk From: bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Kort) Newsgroups: comp.ai,talk.philosophy.misc,sci.philosophy.tech Subject: Re: Can Machines Think? Summary: Can Humans Liberate Their Own Thinking? Keywords: Deterministic and Chaotic Brains Message-ID: <85384@linus.UUCP> Date: 3 Jan 90 13:57:31 GMT References: <31821@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <32029@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <85218@linus.UUCP> <6126@yunexus.UUCP> Sender: news@linus.UUCP Reply-To: bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Barry Kort) Organization: The MITRE Corp. Bedford, MA Lines: 33 In article <6126@yunexus.UUCP> gall@yunexus.UUCP writes: > In article <85218@linus.UUCP> bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Barry Kort) writes: > > Noise is to thinking as genetic mutations are to evolution. Most > > noise is counterproductive, but occasionally the noise leads to a > > cognitive breakthrough. That's called serendipity. > Don't you think you are playing fast and loose with these concepts? > What you say noise is when you equate it with genetic mutation is not > the same as what a radio operator knows it to be, what a philosopher > knows it to be, and what the mother of a teenager in Windsor, ON > knows it to be. I'm using noise as a metaphor and analogizing it to random perturbations in an otherwise deterministic system. I find that analogies and metaphors are useful tools in creative thinking, helping to direct the mind toward deeper understanding of complex processes. > I'm not saying that you haven't defined your concepts well enough (AI > scientists have more that adequately defined it, for their purposes). > My question is "What licenses you to shift the meaning of any > particular term?" My birthright licenses me to use my brain and mind to seek knowledge and understanding, and to communicate interesting and intriguing ideas with like-minded philosophers. I hope you share the same birthright. I would hate to see you voluntarily repress your own opportunity to participate in the exploration of interesting ideas. --Barry Kort