Ben, If in the Novamente configuration the dedicated Ethics Unit is focussed on GoalNode refinement, it might be worth using another term to describe the whole ethical architecture/machinery which would involve aspects of most/all (??) Units plus perhaps even the Mind Operating System (??).
Maybe we need to think about an 'ethics system' that is woven into the whole Novamente architecture and processes. I think it's worth developing a bit of a map (not in the Novamente jargon sense) to show all the elements of an ethics system. I've covered some aspects of this in an earlier post (Mon, 10 Feb 2003 10:57:34 +1000) but I'll just follow a couple of thoughts....... I wonder if the top of the ethics hierarchy is the commitment of the AGI to act 'ethically' - ie. to have a commitment to modifying its own behaviour to benefit non-self (including life, people, other AGIs, community, etc.) This means that an AGI has to be able to perceive self and non-self and to be able to subdivide non-self into elements or layers or whatever that deserve focussed empathetic or compassionate consideration. Maybe the perceptual and pattern recognition architecture can be enhanced to make it easy for a non-trained AGI to grapple with these issues. Maybe the experience of biological life, especially highly intelligent biological life, is useful here. Young animals, including humans, seem to depend on hard wired instinct to see them through in relation to certain key issues before they have experienced enough to rely heavily or largely on learned and rational processes. Another key issue for the ethics system, but this time for more mature AGIs, is how the basic system architecture guides or restricts or facilitates the AGI's self modification process. Maybe AGIs need to be designed to be social in that they have a really strong desire to: (a) talk to other advanced sentient beings to kick around ideas for self modification before they commit themselves to fundamental change. This does not preclude changes that are not approved of by the collective but it might at least make an AGI give any changes careful consideration. If this is a good direction to go in it suggests that having more than one AGI around is a good thing. (b) to spend quite a bit of time/mental effort in contemplation before committing to fundamental self modificatation. (c) maybe AGIs need to have reached a certain age or level of maturity before their machinary for fundamental self-modification is turned on...and maybe it gets turned on for different aspects of itself at different times in its process of maturation. Some of these issues will come up in relation to humans as they face the possibilities of individual and collective transformation via genetic engineering, body modification and cyborgisation. Cheers, Philip ------- To unsubscribe, change your address, or temporarily deactivate your subscription, please go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?[EMAIL PROTECTED]
