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Article 5554 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: gindrup@math.okstate.edu (Eric `'d'kidd' G..)
Subject: Re: AI failures
Message-ID: <1992May11.160456.15469@math.okstate.edu>
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Math Department
References: <1992May7.152447.7930@waikato.ac.nz> <727@ckgp.UUCP> <uc2m8INNn5d@early-bird.think.com> <1992May8.155052.13848@psych.toronto.edu>
Date: Mon, 11 May 1992 16:04:56 GMT

In article <1992May8.155052.13848@psych.toronto.edu> michael@psych.toronto.edu (Michael Gemar) writes:
>
>I find such speculation yet another indication that AI folks don't
>*really* think that what their doing is creating *REAL* minds, entities
>that are equivalent to humans mentally.  If they did, I don't see how
>they could possibly suggest such things as the above...
>
>- michael

Since there are 5 billion+ individuals on this planet who are alive and who,
as a group, contend to be equivalent to humans mentally, it seems that life
and being mentally equivalent to humans is pretty cheap.  To summarize,
since there are going to be quite a few deaths today (Why go into genocide,
you can't catch up with the lead God has already...) what will one or two
hundred more "intelligences"?
This argument completely ignores the fact that there are probably very many
other species that are composed of individuals who are alive and probably
have more mental capacity than I'll use in the next few minutes (maybe I'm
a moron ...).  It would seem that life and thinking are cheap. 
Really cheap.
If I were to die tomorrow, what would be the net effect on the amount of
life and intelligence on the planet?  Very little, I think.  I would say
that this claim is true for any person or group of persons.  
If life were dirt, everyone would be alive.
(They are.)
So, what's the beef about one or two more lost entities?
(Judging by the weather here, it will be a great day to die.  *I* don't 
have it on my List Of Things To Do, but it will happen when it happens.
Stop worrying about it and live while you can.  Don't save it up 'til
you aren't fretting any more...)

-Eric Gindrup ! gindrup@hardy.math.okstate.edu


