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From: jqb@netcom.com (Jim Balter)
Subject: Re: Are men Universal Turing Machine ?
Message-ID: <jqbDCt8vs.A0M@netcom.com>
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Date: Fri, 4 Aug 1995 23:50:16 GMT
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Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.ai:32183 comp.ai.philosophy:31294

In article <3vsaom$mp0$1@mhadf.production.compuserve.com>,
LACROSSE  <100304.3261@CompuServe.COM> wrote:
>May be have we forgot the best mechanism to solve a decision problem :
>emotions !
>If you prefer strawberry ice cream to lemon ice cream, you don't need to
>calculate which one you must take.

I think this is a very important and underestimated point.  I suspect that
there are serious limits to what can be achieved without *values and
motivations*.  I think that's a lot more important than quantum effects or
freedom from Goedelian limitations.  And I don't think these are reducible to
the sorts of simple goal-oriented behavior in extant AI systems.  I suspect a
much richer model is needed.

>Each computer, can work so differently as possible, he can imitate 
>the others. It's the reason why a  POWER PC C can imitate a INTEL C INSIDE one.
>
>So the question is :
>Are men Universal Turing Machine ?

I predict that, were you to attempt to emulate some particular person that you
would *like* to emulate, that you would eventually stray from the desirable
behavior into something more familar, despite all attempts to confute this
prediction.  We just aren't that flexible.

>If we are Universal Turing Machine, are we ONLY a Turing Machine ?
>(It's the unresolved problem of soul)

Even a Turing Machine is not *only* a Turing Machine.  There is nothing that
fits only *one* concept.  Resist reification.


-- 
<J Q B>

