From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!ames!sun-barr!rutgers!micro-heart-of-gold.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!minsky Fri Oct 30 15:18:10 EST 1992
Article 7436 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Path: newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!ames!sun-barr!rutgers!micro-heart-of-gold.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!minsky
>From: minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Brain and Mind (was: Logic and God)
Message-ID: <1992Oct29.180815.16901@news.media.mit.edu>
Date: 29 Oct 92 18:08:15 GMT
References: <1260@tdat.teradata.COM> <5w1DTB3w165w@CODEWKS.nacjack.gen.nz>
Sender: news@news.media.mit.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Lines: 35

In article <5w1DTB3w165w@CODEWKS.nacjack.gen.nz> system@CODEWKS.nacjack.gen.nz (Wayne McDougall) writes:
>swf@teradata.com (Stanley Friesen) writes:
>
>> 
>> We *currently* have no way of knowing, but argument from ignorance has a way
>> of evaporating as science advances.  Two centuries ago it was almost in-
>> concievable that life could be based purely on chemical reactions (as they
>> were then understood), but that is now universally accepted as an established
>> fact.  Why should mental activity be any different?  Why should the current
>> problems be anything other than ignorance?
>> 
>> -- 
>> sarima@teradata.com			(formerly tdatirv!sarima)
>>   or
>> Stanley.Friesen@ElSegundoCA.ncr.com
>
>
>Hmmm. Just a passing comment. If life is based PURELY on chemical 
>reactions, then home come no one has created life in a test tube yet?
>I expect your answer will be a form of "have patience". Hmmm....


Christ, Wayne, what's wrong with patience.  But perhaps this
counterexample will help you.  I presume that you believe that the
Great Pyramids were built by divine intervention or by superhuman
aliens.  Your critics maintain that certain techniques for quarrying
and transporting limestone would suffice.  You then reply that if this
were true, then  how come no one has created any new pyramids
recently?  Surely the argument that this would be expensive and
time-consuming is no answer.

BTW, the Sphinx is said to be in bad shape, and the Egyptians are
having trouble raising funds to protect or restore it.  Perhaps there
should be organized a worldwide prayer campaign to have it restored
miraculously.


