From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!agate!stanford.edu!CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU!CS.Stanford.EDU!costello Mon Mar  9 18:34:59 EST 1992
Article 4240 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Path: newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!agate!stanford.edu!CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU!CS.Stanford.EDU!costello
>From: costello@CS.Stanford.EDU (T Costello)
Subject: Streams of Conciousness
Message-ID: <1992Mar4.061920.9023@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU>
Keywords: hyperbolic flow
Sender: news@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1992 06:19:20 GMT
Lines: 32

The physical symbol hypothesis claims that, the instantiation
of particular algorithms are intelligent.  That is a running
program of whatever the instructions in the Chinese room are
is intelligent.  However algorithms do not need to be run
as a serial process in time.  Consider the following;

Supersonic flow of liquids is hyperbolic, for instance the
air over a jets wing.  Hyperbolic flow has
the property that its density variation depends only on the 
parts of the stream before it.  Therefore it has the
mathematical properties that would allow life automata to be simulated on 
a plane running through the liquid flow.  Life automata
are universal computing elements, thus it would be possible to
implement any algorithm in a flow of liquid.  This liquid
is in steady state, that is, as you examine planes through the
liquid going downstream you find the next states of the algorithm.

Information can be transmitted into the stream in the correct
form by placing protuberances that would disturb the fluid flow.

Thus it is possible to interact with this algorithm.  It can have inputs
and outputs.  According to the physical symbol hypothesis it
is intelligent.  The interesting property it has is that 
it thinks in a spatial dimension rather than a time dimension,
as I said earlier the flow is teady state.  Thus we can have a
stationary pattern that is intelligent, according to the
PSH. Does this seem strange to anyone?

Thoughts?

Tom



