[alicebot-aiethics] Re: Re: Re: [alicebot-general] Re: cog mod?

Tue, 21 May 2002 06:40:04 -0700

Some will always see the glass half-empty, other half full.

My reading of history is that humans have an unfortunate tendency toward
anthropcentrism: we are the center of the Universe, the top of the
evolutionary ladder, the end of the food chain, and the only creatures
blessed by God with self-awareness, reason, and language.  On top of all
that, the Brain is the Greatest Computer in the World, a marvel of nature,
wonderously complex beyond our ability to imagine.  Somehow our unique
traits of "emotion", "compassion", "imagination", "adaptability" and so on
must be the wellspring of this specialness.

Unfortunately it has never been proved that our intelligence is a successful
survival trait.  From an evolutionary standpoint, humankind is still almost
statistically insignificant.   Lately it seems to me more and more than
humans may be incapable of solving the problems, such as nuclear waste, that
we have created for ourselves.   The flaws of human nature are all too
visible in this world.  Just turn on the TV.  Just go down the street.
Surely this wonderful amazing brilliant human brain would not permit so much
suffering in this world.

The brain is certainly getting a run for its money from programs like Deep
Blue and ALICE.   For at least 100 years, since the initiation of Moore's
Law, the brain has been an inferior calculator.  The brain is required to
sleep, operates at a very low clock speed, and especially the male is driven
to distraction by thoughts of reproduction far too much of the time.  If I
were building a computer from scratch, the very last material I would choose
is meat.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Kootstra" <AKootstra@interplein.nl>
To: <alicebot-general@list.alicebot.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 6:19 AM
Subject: RE: Re: Re: [alicebot-general] Re: cog mod?

> yeah, as if I'm going to take Woody serious. That'll be the day.
>
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: alicebot-general-admin@list.alicebot.org
> [mailto:alicebot-general-admin@list.alicebot.org]Namens Dr. Richard S.
> Wallace
> Verzonden: dinsdag 21 mei 2002 14:55
> Aan: alicebot-general@list.alicebot.org
> CC: alicebot-aiethics@list.alicebot.org
> Onderwerp: Re: Re: Re: [alicebot-general] Re: cog mod?
>
>
> This would be a good point to remind folks that we have a wonderful forum
> called alicebot-aiethics for disucssing topics like this one.
>
> "More than at any other time in its history, mankind stands at a
crossroads.
> One path leads to despair, and utter hopelessness.  The other, to total
> destruction." --- Woody Allen
>
> Rich
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tim Barker" <timothy.barker@staffs.ac.uk>
> To: <alicebot-general@list.alicebot.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 5:41 AM
> Subject: Re: Re: Re: [alicebot-general] Re: cog mod?
>
>
> > love, beauty, creativity, altruism, inventiveness, loyalty, liberty,
> > imagination, adaptivity...etc, etc...
> >
> > At 05:32 21/05/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> > >8 words: Meat powered humanoid artificially intelligent self
reproducing
> > >robots.
> > >
> > >What were our strengths again?
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Tim Barker" <timothy.barker@staffs.ac.uk>
> > >To: <alicebot-general@list.alicebot.org>
> > >Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 5:19 AM
> > >Subject: Re: Re: Re: [alicebot-general] Re: cog mod?
> > >
> > >
> > > > I think its important not to lose sight of our strengths as well as
> > > > acknowledging our weaknesses.
> > > >
> > > > Tim
> > > >
> > > > At 18:34 20/05/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> > > > > > Do we really want to make ALICE like us?
> > > > >
> > > > >I hope not.  We are pathetic.
> > > > >
> > > > >Rich
> > > > >
> > > > >_______________________________________________
> > > > >This is the alicebot-general mailing list
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> > > > >Learn netiquette at http://www.dtcc.edu/cs/rfc1855.html
> > > > >Learn to read at http://www.literacy.org/
> > > >
> > > > Tim Barker Staffordshire U.K.
> > > > www.soc.staffs.ac.uk/~cmttimb/
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> > Tim Barker Staffordshire U.K.
> > www.soc.staffs.ac.uk/~cmttimb/
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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