Food for Thought

[DaveW]

Apparently, there are 300 million synaptic pathways in the human brain, and if it were possible to create any system this complex, then it would be possible to create an artificial brain.

As of 2001, there were an estimated 500 million computers connected to the internet at any single point. In 5 years, how much has that number increased?

So we have in place a system that, suitably configured, could simulate the human brain...obviously with the vast distances involved it would be incredibly slow, but what do you think of the idea of an abstract system capable of artistic thought, no matter how slow it worked?

Just something that came to mind while i was studying...what do you think? Obviously it's a Science Fiction concept, the idea of a planet-wide sentience...but in this context, it doesn't sound too implausible, does it?

Feel free to laugh at the idea, or to tell me it's impossible...I just want to know what you think of this

Interesting Articles Relating to this:
http://www.smartmobs.com/archive/200...ificial_b.html
wikinews
wikipedia

I'm not saying we should do this. I've seen Terminator.

-Dave

[Cevinzol]

So we have in place a system that [...], could simulate the human brain...it would be incredibly slow

I just want to know what you think of this

"I'm sorry Dave I'm a fraid I can't do that" - HAL

They have a prototype at:
1600 Pensylvania Ave.
Washington, DC
It looks human but it doesn't make a lot of sense.

[nil8]

The problem with turning a computer into a human is covered in a wonderful lecture series called "Philosophy of the Mind" by John R. Searle at Berkley.
It's a wonderful study of philosophy and it's different aspects and how a turing machine works vs the human brain. Some of the best brain food I have found yet.

Another book on the subject(sort of) is "Age of Spiritual Machines" by Ray Kurzweil.

Give both of them a shot, well worth the time.

[The Modfather]

That thought scares me very much. I've read more than a few books that touched on that topic very closely. (No, not Neuromancer type books). I think the Internet is far from being able to be any kind of artificial intelligence, even if you INCLUDE its users. <Smirk>

[DaveW]

I'm not talking about making a computer into a human brain, but i'm talking about making a computer do the functions of a single Neuron. As i understand it the brain is made up of different types of Neuron, so a software application could be written that allows a computer to work as a specific type of neuron, and communicate with other computer-neurons in the same way the human brain does. It would result, in my opinion, in a large-scale network capable of abstract thought, capable of the same mental feedback loop that results in our being able to think of our own thoughts; i.e. the computer would be self aware. The interesting thing is that, being artificial, we would be able to teach it all the information we care to from the word go. Unfortunately, something special would need to be configured should anyone decide to give it an interface, as it's fairly obvious that you can't interact with it through any 'neurons'.

Leading to the philisophical question of whether it is possible for a brain in a jar to truly be alive.

That thought scares me very much.

Isaac Asimov called that "The Frankenstein complex". He felt that people would fear their own creations. Philip K. Dick agreed with him as well, but then, he didn't have the 3 laws of robotics. The satirical author John Sladek stated that no suitably advanced intelligence capable of inventive thought could be bound by Asimov's 3 laws of robotics, and wrote an incredibly funny book called Tik-Tok which is sadly out of print. If you can get a copy, i'd highly recommend it.

Actually, i think Asimov was the first one to suggest a planet-wide sentience, he called it Multivac. Don't quote me on that, i could be wrong.

-Dave

[XcOM]

If there is a true AI somewhere, it will be able to explain the phrase:

"Time flys like an arrow, fruit flys like banannas"

[DaveW]

Fruit flys, as in the species, right?

You realise any one of us could be an AI...*paranoia kicks in*

-Dave

[Rankenphile]

Resistance is futile. Assimilation is inevitable.

I for one welcome our hulking robot overlords.

[Slug Toy]

ive been uncomfortably out of the loop here for a while. this was interesting enough to draw me back in.

heres the way i look at it. we have seti@home and folding@home and all sorts of grid computing going on. anything is possible given time. i think its more than a possibility that someone somewhere is working on a grid computing system to simulate the human brain and/or mind. if we can simulate global warming, and the earth in general, then im sure we can simulate thought.

look at what we've already accomplished. thanks to computers, we have years upon years of computational work done for us in various aspects. hell, last time i checked, i think we had 100 some odd proteins simulated that may hold the key to fighting HIV.

take spore for another example. i remember seeing that procedural stuff on tv years and years ago. it was creating primitive styrofoam robots that could only MOVE, and lego structures to stretch out as high or as wide as possible. now we have it implemented (in a much more advanced form) to make universes, galaxies, solar system, planets, and organisms. not only that, but from what i have gathered, the procedural stuff has a certain amount of learning that can take place, and the ability to dynamically react to things.

what im getting at is this. if we can simulate how virtual organisms move and behave.... if we can search the stars and atoms for the next big breakthrough, we sure as hell can simulate a brain. although, perhaps the large scale arrays arent the way to go. if you think about it, cpu's and gpu's are pretty close to having the level of complexity needed. the unified shader architecture is probably best suited, and im sure we can add on to that to create some sort of general purpose brain.

interestingly, when i was heating up some home made curried chick peas and potatoes for lunch... mmmmm... the microwave kept shutting off as if to voice its opinions about its current situation. not being one to take any sass talk, i gave it a good talking to, and a slap upside the microwave equivalent of the head-region. ive got my eye on the minifridge downstairs... i think it egged on the microwave, and im just waiting for it to slip up.

[The Modfather]

I've read Tik-Toc, great book, been ages since I read it though.

It's amazing that after all these years and advances in AI, we still haven't gone much further with it than Eliza.