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From: jqb@netcom.com (Jim Balter)
Subject: Re: SOLOMON - Is it even a real system?
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Date: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 18:59:12 GMT
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In article <4eb6t6$m8g@agate.berkeley.edu>,
Robert_S Blasi <blasirs@cory.EECS.Berkeley.EDU> wrote:
>	I've watched with relative dismay as this thread has spread across
>the various facets of the comp.ai.* hierarchy. I really hoped it would
>die down; I was disappointed. I hoped that it wouldn't degenerate into
>a discussion of the various merits and errors in the O.J. Simpson trial;
>I was wrong.

My discussion of details of the Simpson case was in regard to logical errors
made by human beings and how AI's might avoid such errors.  This is a relevant
and oft-discussed topic in comp.ai.philosophy.  The details of the Simpson
case are not relevant in and of themselves, any more than they ever are in an
*example*.

>	Anyways, if any of you read comp.risks, you'll remember that a
>brief about Solomon was taken from a newspaper and included in one of
>their recent digests. Of course, it set off the usual cascade of inevitable
>"Can it do this?", "Is it fair?", "How does it do _X_?" etc.

Of course, *speculation* concerning thses questions in regard to a
*hypothetical* AI is highly relevant to c.a.p.

[stuff deleted suggesting Solomon may be a troll]

To me, the reliability of news reports or net reports of news reports is
not particularly relevant to these groups.

I suggest you spend more time evaluating and responding to the *content*
of the messages you flame, rather than their form.  If you don't find them
of interest, you know which key to hit.

>	Of course, I invite the original author, or a representative for the
>Solomon project to post and correct me. But until then, I think that debating
>the merits of a system whose existence is questionable is itself questionable.

Ah, yep, let's cease all speculative discussion immediately.

-- 
<J Q B>

