I have grave concerns about this. We have proof al...

2007-08-19T21:16:50.529-04:00

I have grave concerns about this. We have proof already that it's possible. You only have to look at the person standing next to you for that. I'm one of those who is also convinced it's desirable. My concerns are about the complexity.

Anders' description is complex enough, but I do suspect that when we get down to it, we're going to discover a shed load of complexities we never even dreamed of.

I won't pretend for a moment that I have the faintest idea what those complexities will turn out to be, but I will venture an example.

For a long time, philosophers have mused over the question of free will. Do we have it? If we do, how so, when physics seems to point to the opposite conclusion? And how do we explain the fact that we have a subjective experience of reality, a consciousness, at all? What if it turns out that free will isn't an illusion, but comes about through an interaction of "spirit" (whatwever that is!) with physics, perhaps occuring at a quantum level in a way that we are mistaking for randomness?

Oh, and so many other questions.

Brace yourselves for this taking a long time.

Would the expectation be that if you can get the m...

2007-08-01T02:44:00.000-04:00

Would the expectation be that if you can get the mechanical brain to think like a human it would then behave like one? OR, Would behaving like a human be a core element with the thoughts justifying the behavior. OR, Are there no thoughts, just behavior?

OR, Do you begin with some sort of fetal brain environment? And if you do, do you have to mimic a process of growth and learning?

OR, Is the supposition, really, that we might be able to simulate a twin if we can proportionalize all the features of an existing-person's brain and, somehow, get all the settings right?

Would a first step be to, say, emulate a tulip? How difficult would it be to take a tulip bulb, emulate that, and then see if the real and virtual things grow to be extrodinarily similar plants?

Am I making a fool of myself with my questions? My brain's small. Sandberg can have mine if he wants it. God knows ... I mean, Nobody knows I'm not doing anything with it.

Comments on Sentient Developments: Anders Sandberg wants to emulate your brain

I have grave concerns about this. We have proof al...

Would the expectation be that if you can get the m...