Actually, exploring this further - human thinking is v. fundamentally different
from the computational kind or most AGI conceptions - because it is massively
and structurally metacognitive, self-examining (which comes under being a
machine that works by "self-control").
Interestingly, Minsky's model of mind in The Emotion Machine includes this with
three levels above "Deliberative Thinking":
Reflective Thinking
Self-Reflective Thinking
Self-Conscious Reflection
We don't just think about a problem, we simultaneously think about how we think
about it, and consciously manage and take decisions about that thinking. We ask
ourselves questions like:
-How long should we think about it?
-Should we follow our intuitions
-do we need examples?
-should we visualise
-should we follow our feelings of confusion?
-should we articulate our thoughts clearly and slowly or just let them whizz
along, half-articulated?
-how would so-and-so handle it
-should we examine that part of the problem, or will it take too long?
-should we check the evidence?
-should we give up, or compromise?
-should we read a book for ideas? or consult a dictionary/thesaurus?
Such questions are all parts of our inner thinking dialogue.
As Minsky says, we have many ways to think, & we consciously choose from among
them - & as a result different people devote very different amounts of time and
resources to thinking at different times. But Minsky wants to make all this
into an automatic process - and it can't be - how you think about problematic
problems is fundamentally problematic in itself - which is why thinking is such
a hesitant business.
David Hart:/ MT : Is anyone trying to design a self-exploring robot or
computer? Does this principle have a name?
Interestingly, some views on AI advocate specifically prohibiting
self-awareness and self-exploration as a precaution against the development of
unfriendly AI. In my opinion, these views erroneously transfer familiar human
motives onto 'alien' AGI cognitive architectures - there's a history of
discussing this topic on SL4 and other places.
I believe however that most approaches to designing AGI (those that do not
specifically prohibit self-aware and self-explortative behaviors) take for
granted, and indeed intentionally promote, self-awareness and self-exploration
at most stages of AGI development. In other words, efficient and effective
recursive self-improvement (RSI) requires self-awareness and self-exploration.
If any term exists to describe a 'self-exploring robot or computer', that term
is RSI. Coining a lesser term for 'self-exploring AI' may be useful in some
proto-AGI contexts, but I suspect that 'RSI' is ultimately a more useful and
meaningful term.
-dave
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