RE: Hacker intelligence level [WAS Re: [agi] Funding AGI research]ED>>>> Yes, but there are a lot of types of thinking that cannot be done by shape alone, and shape is actually much more complicated than shape. There is shape, and shape distorted by perspective, and shape changed by bending, and shape changed by size. There is shape of objects, shape of trajectories, 2d shapes, 3d shapes. There are visual memories, where we don't really remember all the shapes, but instead remember the types of things that were their and fill in most of the actual shapes. In sum, it's a lot more complicated that just finding a matching photograph.
Ed, I am not suggesting that shape matching is everything, merely that it is central to a great many of the brain's operations - and to its ability to search rapidly and briefly and locate analogical ideas (and if that's true, as I believe it is, then, sorry, AGI's stuckness is going to continue for a long time yet). The reason I'm replying though is a further thought occurred to me. Essentially I've been suggesting that the brain has some means to locate matching shapes quickly in very few operations where a digital computer laboriously searches through long lists or networks of symbols in a great many operations. One v. crude idea for the "mechanism" I suggested was that neuronal areas somehow retain memories of shapes, which can be stimulated by similar incoming shapes - so that analogies can be drawn with extreme rapidity, more or less on the spot. ["Spot checks"] It's occurred to me that this may well happen over and over throughout the body & related brain areas. The same body areas that today feel stiff / expanded/ cold , felt loose/ contracted/ warm yesterday. The same hand that was a ball, and many other shapes, is now a fist. So perhaps these memories are all somehow laid on top of each in the same brain areas..Map upon map upon map .Just an extremely rough idea, but I think it does go some way to showing how shape matching could indeed be extremely rapid and effective in the brain, by contrast with computers' "blind", disembodied search. It follows BTW re your points above, that the same brain areas will also retain many morphic variations on the same basic shapes - objects/cups seen say moving, from different angles, zooming in and out etc. And if it's true, as I believe, that the brain uses loose, highly flexible templates for visual object perception - then that too should mean that it will easily and rapidly be able to connect closely related shapes as in "snake/ chain/ rope/ spaghetti strand." Analogies and perception are interwoven for the brain. Blakeslee makes a good deal of the brain using flexible, morphic body maps. Thanks for your reply. Further thoughts re mechanisms welcome. As Blakeslee points out, this whole area is just beginning to open up. ----- This list is sponsored by AGIRI: http://www.agiri.org/email To unsubscribe or change your options, please go to: http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=8660244&id_secret=71724560-1bc574
