From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.ecf!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!orca!javelin.sim.es.com!biesel Wed Apr 22 12:04:24 EDT 1992
Article 5180 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
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>From: biesel@javelin.sim.es.com (Heiner Biesel)
Subject: Re: Intelligence, awareness, and esthetics
Message-ID: <1992Apr21.201818.11057@javelin.sim.es.com>
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
References: <1992Apr20.191345.27706@javelin.sim.es.com> <1992Apr20.204409.15218@sophia.smith.edu> <1992Apr20.233507.1162@javelin.sim.es.com> <1992Apr21.150429.22371@sophia.smith.edu>
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1992 20:18:18 GMT
Lines: 31

orourke@sophia.smith.edu (Joseph O'Rourke) writes:

>In article <1992Apr20.233507.1162@javelin.sim.es.com> 
>	biesel@javelin.sim.es.com (Heiner Biesel) writes:

>[Re discussion of his suggestion that a criteria of machine intelligence
>should be the production of art that humans can appreciate.]

>>Or, to put a slighly different spin upon it: if [the computer]'s so smart, 
>>how come it can't produce a work of art I like?

>	If humans are so smart, how come we can't understand whale songs?
>I am suggesting that computers may become the equivalent of a separate
>species, and we should not expect them to be able to produce art for
>the human species (except via mimicry).

Insofar as computers become a different species they will fail the Turing
test (a very anthropocentric test, and rightly so). How, then, will we
be able to detect and accept their intelligence and awareness?

I question this direction of computer evolution, primarily because for
a while at least humans will be steering this evolution in directions of
their own choosing, which will surely parallel and mimic human qualities.

If, on the other hand, the claim is made that computers will surpass human
intelligence - and, by implication, creativity and awareness - then surely at
some point it will be a simple matter for such a super-intelligent computer
to dash off a symphony.

Regards,
       Heiner biesel@thrall.sim.es.com


