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From: cam@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm)
Subject: Re: Are you all wasting your time?
Message-ID: <DCFtnF.Kpr@aisb.ed.ac.uk>
Sender: news@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Network News Administrator)
Organization: Dept AI, Edinburgh University, Scotland
References: <806716686.12330@famican.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 1995 17:52:27 GMT
Lines: 21

In article <806716686.12330@famican.demon.co.uk> steve@famican.demon.co.uk writes:

>Can computers develop AI?

>My friend says they can, and the basis of his argument is that a
>sufficiently complex system subject to evolutionary pressures will
>develop intelligence.

>I say "Define intelligence, and until you do, your claim is
>meaningless." Since he cant (to my satisfaction :-) ), we have
>achieved stalemate.

Since your friend's argument also proposes that it is possible for
evolution to develop human intelligence, then either you consider the
question of human intelligence to be meaningless, or else you consider
that human intelligence did not evolve. Have I got you right?
-- 
Chris Malcolm    cam@uk.ac.ed.aifh         +44 (0)131 650 3085
Department of Artificial Intelligence,    Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK                DoD #205
"The mind reigns, but does not govern"             Paul Valery
