The lie we live

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Boreas

What's a soul? If we can imagine its existence, why can't a self-aware machine do the same?

The trick, of course, is the creation of that self-aware machine.

Having worked with them since 1963 all they are are high speed electronic idiots, no better or smarter than the person programming them.

Dr. Wilder Penfield proved its existence many years back,

[MrPots]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Having worked with them since 1963 all they are are high speed electronic idiots, no better or smarter than the person programming them.

Dr. Wilder Penfield proved its existence many years back,

Well, at least they have speed over the average human.....

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Having worked with them since 1963 all they are are high speed electronic idiots, no better or smarter than the person programming them.

Dr. Wilder Penfield proved its existence many years back,

What they are (or were) isn't what they will be.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Having worked with them since 1963 all they are are high speed electronic idiots, no better or smarter than the person programming them.

Dr. Wilder Penfield proved its existence many years back,

Looked up the Penfield ideas. What he 'proved' is that the 'conscious will' feels itself to be separate from the neuromotor control function of the brain under certain conditions. Beyond this 'seperateness,' however, he showed nothing about the source and operating characteristics of the conscious will. One can as easily assume it to be a separately functioning module in our fleshy computer, as assume it to be a supernatural soul.

It can be obvious to anyone from self-observation that neuromotor control and consciousness are separate. When I move my arm, I don't consciously think, 'contract muscle A .37465 at rate .66582, and then, .33047 seconds later, contract muscle B .11934 at rate .76599, etc, etc. I just create intentions in a general way, and functions separate from and normally not at all accessible to the consciousness take care of the details of calculating appropriate parameters and sending the necessary commands to the muscles. So one does not have to stimulate exposed brains, as Dr. Penfield did, to apprehend this separation of activity.

I also don't think the conscious mind can be the soul because it clearly isn't 'in control' of everything. It frequently is just concerned with inventing 'rational' reasons for things we want to do based on subconscious motivations.

http://www.simpletoremember.com/arti...-and-the-soul/

[merrylander]

Believe whatever you wish but there is more to a human being than ever a machine will be able to emulate IBM's Watson aside. Could a machine even conceive of Beethoven's Ninth let alone compose it? I think not. Or the works of all the great poets? To think that possible is laughable.

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Believe whatever you wish but there is more to a human being than ever a machine will be able to emulate IBM's Watson aside. Could a machine even conceive of Beethoven's Ninth let alone compose it? I think not. Or the works of all the great poets? To think that possible is laughable.

We really do not know what is possible.

[MrPots]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Believe whatever you wish but there is more to a human being than ever a machine will be able to emulate IBM's Watson aside. Could a machine even conceive of Beethoven's Ninth let alone compose it? I think not. Or the works of all the great poets? To think that possible is laughable.

Unfortunately those are the people not likely to be replaced. Cashiers, restaurant workers, any low paying job will go first and leave the unskilled and uneducated laborer out in the street.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

We really do not know what is possible.

Was it Finnbow who made the comment that modern medicine knows everything about the human body from the neck down and next to nothing about it from the neck up?

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by MrPots

Unfortunately those are the people not likely to be replaced. Cashiers, restaurant workers, any low paying job will go first and leave the unskilled and uneducated laborer out in the street.

That is not AI merely robotics, an entirely different field. The Japanese are miles ahead in that area.