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From: ee@datcon.co.uk (Eddie Edwards)
Subject: Re: Is there a spiritual force etc.?
Message-ID: <1994Sep13.120437.5515@datcon.co.uk>
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References: <SOSUSER.2.2E731869@sos.net> <1994Sep11.164225.6753@news.media.mit.edu> <JUH.105.779391202@stpc.wi.LeidenUniv.nl> <1994Sep13.030258.1803@news.media.mit.edu>
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 12:04:37 GMT
Lines: 38

Marvin Minsky (minsky@media.mit.edu) wrote:

: Hmm.  I didn't say that they didn't believe them.  But I don't think
: that this is much of an excuse.  In fact, I personally, consider it
: worse--that is, in my view, the believers are even more to blame.

Hold on! 

You presumably believe in 'modern science', for want of a better term, and
until some great minds come along and convince you that you're wrong then you
will be following the Western World's greatest religion. 

What exactly are believers 'to blame' for?  Supressing scientific evidence?
Isn't scientific evidence *still* being suppressed?  Don't scientists ignore
results which don't fit in with their world view?  In other words, are we all
not human?

One thing which scientists must realise is that, although their faith is just-
ified by common-sense logic, it is still merely a faith.  There is nothing to
be gained from a religious war between 'religion' and 'science'.

Anyway, it seems implicit in this thread that there is no truth whatsoever to
spiritual beliefs.  Perhaps there is, perhaps there isn't - we could argue for
years!  But AI research should (I hope) give us some indication as to whether
or not there really *is* something about the human mind which cannot be
explained (modelled) in terms of neurons and axons.

When a computer can spontaneously get angry, or burst into electronic 'tears',
then I will accept your scientific dogma more readily.

--
Eddie xxx

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