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From: krobair@aplcenmp.apl.jhu.edu (Robair kevin a. 301-925-0694)
Subject: Re: New Penrose Book - Poll
Message-ID: <D5stzE.E9v@aplcenmp.apl.jhu.edu>
Organization: Johns Hopkins Continuing Professional Programs
References: <3kc574$n3j@newsbf02.news.aol.com> <D5LynH.1G8@Corp.Megatest.COM>
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 1995 16:33:13 GMT
Lines: 37

In article <D5LynH.1G8@Corp.Megatest.COM> djones@Corp.Megatest.COM (Dave Jones) writes:
>It is possible to duplicate humman intelligence in a computer right now.
>The computer is called a "brain", and the mechanism for duplicating it
>is called "human reproduction". If you ask me to predict whether people
>will ever build artificial silicon based machines with comparable talents,
>I have to answer, "How would I know?" I don't think we will see it in our
>lifetime. People acquire an enormous amount of knowledge about the world
>before they enter grade school. Until we build computers with well developed
>eyes and ears, and the ability to walk around and play, humans will probably
>still have some remaining job security. However, I see no reason to assume that
>human beings do not operate according to the same physical mechanisms
>that govern everything else.
>

There is absolutely no basis in the claim that the human brain and a digital
computer are equivalent.  Of course humans operate under the same physical
principles as everyone else, but the principles are not fully understood. The
principles governing a digital computer are fully understood, at least as 
far as the computer's computing mechanism works. This is not true of the human
brain, which suggests the human brain works on different physical principals
than a digital computer. Also, computers do not need eyes and ears to gather
information, they can be loaded directly with all knowledge possessed by 
mankind. It may be much sooner than 75 years when a digital computer will have
comparable talents to humans. But these talents will likely not be equivalent.
They will only appear similar. 

Eventually, human intelligence will be duplicated
artificially, whether using a digital computer (doubtful) or a device based 
on some as yet undicovered physical phenomena. We may not be around to see it,
but it sure would be interesting. Imagine such an intelligence coupled with
the raw computing power of a digital computer. Awesome, but dangerous.


Kevin Robair
krobair@aplcenmp.apl.jhu.edu


