Dear Fellow AGI List Members:
Just thought I'd remind the good members of this list about some strategies for
dealing with certain types of postings.
Unfortunately, the field of AI/AGI is one of those areas where anybody with a
pulse and a brain thinks they can design a "program that thinks." Must be
easy, right? I mean, I can do it so how hard can it be to put "me" in a "can?"
Well, that's what some very smart people in the 1940's, '50's and into the
1960's thought. They were wrong. Most of them now admit it. So, on
AI-related lists, we have to be very careful about the kinds of "conversations"
on which we spend our valuable time. Here are some guidelines. I realize most
people here know this stuff already. This is just a gentle reminder.
If a posting makes grandiose claims, is dismissive of mainstream research,
techniques, and institutions or the author claims to have "special knowledge"
that has apparently been missed (or dismissed) by all of the brilliant
scientific/technical minds who go to their jobs at major corporations and
universities every day (and are paid for doing so), and also by every Nobel
Laureate for the last 20 years, this posting should be ignored. DO NOT RESPOND
to these types of postings: positively or negatively. The poster is,
obviously, either irrational or one of the greatest minds of our time. In the
former case, you know they're full of it, I know they're full of it, but they
will NEVER admit that. You will never win an argument with an irrational
individual. In the latter case, stop and ask yourself: Why is somebody that
fantastically smart posting to this mailing list? He or she is, obviously,
smarter than everyone here. Why does he/she need us to validate his or her
accomplishments/knowledge by posting on this list? He or she should have
better things to do and, besides, we probably wouldn't be able to understand
("appreciate") his/her genius anyhow.
The only way to deal with postings like this is to IGNORE THEM. Don't rise to
the bait. Like a bad cold, they will be irritating for a while, but they will,
eventually, go away.
Cheers,
Brad
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agi
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