http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...ow_article= 1

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:58:49 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...ow_article= 1

Noel Sharkey sounds like a whiny liberal to me.

He needs to walk the streets of DC at night and see what real danger is all
about.
--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."

Skynet is total science fiction. We are as far from a self-aware electronic
intelligence as an ape is from a computer. We don't even have the first
clue about how our own self awareness works.

As far as robotic arms being reprogrammed by the enemy. Sure, any arms left
behind in a battle is an asset to the other side. A robotic fighting
machine is less dangerous in the hands of an enemy than an errant nuclear
weapon.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...ow_article= 1

John H. wrote:
On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:58:49 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...ow_article= 1

Noel Sharkey sounds like a whiny liberal to me.


Well, *you* sound like a brain-damaged reject from Rush Limbaugh's
all-male trip to the Carib.

"hkrause" wrote in message
...
John H. wrote:
On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:58:49 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...ow_article= 1

Noel Sharkey sounds like a whiny liberal to me.


Well, *you* sound like a brain-damaged reject from Rush Limbaugh's
all-male trip to the Carib.

Did they travel via Disney Cruises?

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:48:53 -0500, "jamesgangnc"
wrote:

Skynet is total science fiction. We are as far from a self-aware electronic
intelligence as an ape is from a computer.

Yes - and in 1945 Arthur Clark published "Extra-Terrestrial Relays —
Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?" which was the germ
of the idea of today's communications via satellite. I might add that
a lot of folks believed his idea to be fanciful at best and it wasn't
until 1954 when Bell Lab's John Pierce proposed what was to become
Echo and Telstar that expansion of communications into space was
possible.

Consider that up until the late '60s, anything above 700 Mhz was
considered unusable for communications. How'd that work out?

At the current rate of engineering and technical advancements in
computing and processor size, is "Colossus" or Mike from "Moon is A
Harsh Mistress" be far behind?

It's only a matter of time. :)

We don't even have the first clue about how our own self awareness
works.

"I think, therefore I am." - René Descartes :)

On Feb 27, 10:51 am, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:48:53 -0500, "jamesgangnc"
wrote:

Skynet is total science fiction. We are as far from a self-aware electronic
intelligence as an ape is from a computer.

Yes - and in 1945 Arthur Clark published "Extra-Terrestrial Relays --
Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?" which was the germ
of the idea of today's communications via satellite. I might add that
a lot of folks believed his idea to be fanciful at best and it wasn't
until 1954 when Bell Lab's John Pierce proposed what was to become
Echo and Telstar that expansion of communications into space was
possible.

Consider that up until the late '60s, anything above 700 Mhz was
considered unusable for communications. How'd that work out?

At the current rate of engineering and technical advancements in
computing and processor size, is "Colossus" or Mike from "Moon is A
Harsh Mistress" be far behind?

It's only a matter of time. :)

We don't even have the first clue about how our own self awareness
works.

"I think, therefore I am." - René Descartes :)

All of today's computers are simply huge extensions of the first very
basic logic circuits. They are completely predictable. Your examples
are extensions of existing technology that could, and were predicted
by some. The technology to create self-awareness doesn't exist
because we don't know what self-awareness is. Tell me you think we'll
live on planets in other systems and I'll agree that is a possible
outcome. Tell me that we'll eventually extend human lifespan into
hundreds of years and I'll agree that that also might happen. But
mechanical self-awareness, that's so remote from now.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:28:43 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc
wrote:

All of today's computers are simply huge extensions of the first very
basic logic circuits. They are completely predictable.

There was a guy named Kasparov who thought the same thing about chess
playing computers.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:28:43 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc
wrote:

On Feb 27, 10:51 am, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:48:53 -0500, "jamesgangnc"
wrote:

Skynet is total science fiction. We are as far from a self-aware electronic
intelligence as an ape is from a computer.

Yes - and in 1945 Arthur Clark published "Extra-Terrestrial Relays --
Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?" which was the germ
of the idea of today's communications via satellite. I might add that
a lot of folks believed his idea to be fanciful at best and it wasn't
until 1954 when Bell Lab's John Pierce proposed what was to become
Echo and Telstar that expansion of communications into space was
possible.

Consider that up until the late '60s, anything above 700 Mhz was
considered unusable for communications. How'd that work out?

At the current rate of engineering and technical advancements in
computing and processor size, is "Colossus" or Mike from "Moon is A
Harsh Mistress" be far behind?

It's only a matter of time. :)

We don't even have the first clue about how our own self awareness
works.

"I think, therefore I am." - René Descartes :)

All of today's computers are simply huge extensions of the first very
basic logic circuits. They are completely predictable.

Um...well, I guess that's why diagnostic software engineers aren't in
high demand - completely predictable logic should produce complete
predictable results. Right?

And quantum computing isn't that far off - the mathematics is solid,
it's just the engineering that's lagging behind.

Wayne brought up Kasparov and Big Blue - Big Blue is relatively
primitive by today's standards.

Your examples are extensions of existing technology that could, and
were predicted by some.

Technically you could say that satellites were "predicted" during the
19th Century and even earlier, but that would be a stretch to consider
what some thinkers were...well, no other way to put it, thinking. :)

The technology to create self-awareness doesn't exist
because we don't know what self-awareness is.

Not true - self awareness is simple awareness of self - that self
awareness is proof because one exists.

Consciousness is another matter because it requires proof of identity.
However, one has to be conscious if one is self-aware.

Endless loop.

The problem is not so much defining how one defines awareness or even
conscioiusness, but how does one become aware or conscious. That may
be a simple matter of critical mass in that the mere number of nodes
may mimic neural connections.

So it's entirely possible. Maybe not tomorrow or even in the next 50
years, but advances in computing, connectivity and "smart" nodes may
just be the causitive effect.

~~ snip ~~

But mechanical self-awareness, that's so remote from now.

Ah ha!! So you admit that it is possible. :)

I agree with you mostly - in today's terms, it's not likely. Having
said that, we are well on the road to Skynet whether we like it or
not.

As I said, it's just a matter of time.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:43:03 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:28:43 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc
wrote:

All of today's computers are simply huge extensions of the first very
basic logic circuits. They are completely predictable.

There was a guy named Kasparov who thought the same thing about chess
playing computers.

Good point.