[Mangus] Level? Do you mean a MoQ level? Actually, I once argued to add a quantum level below the inorganic level. I even wrote a bunch of questions for Pirsig via Dan Glover but I don't know if they ever got there, Dan?
[Case] I just meant level as in "take it to the next level..." [Magnus] Anyway, the basis for adding a quantum level below the inorganic was mainly that quantum patterns value a completely different set of laws than inorganic patterns. While inorganic patterns value gravity, electromagnetism, time, etc. the quantum patterns have no respect for these laws at all, not even time. This difference is the basis for a new level in my book. [Case] The more discussions I hear of levels the more convinced I become that "levels" are not a good way to think about things. There are all kinds of ways to break things down and systems to help order our thoughts and theories. Giving metaphysical significance to any particular system like this just causes trouble. [Mangus] Yes, you're right. I think they once mentioned that Data had a positronic brain, like Asimov's robots. But I don't remember if Adams ever wrote anything specific about Marvin's brain. [Case] Come on, in addition to have a RPP Marvin said, "Brain the size of a planet and they have me working in the parking garage." Or something like that... [Mangus] Yes, they are in for an unpleasant century, not only climate wise. Not sure how to make it easier for them. Sci-fi writers have been writing about exactly that crowd and their problems with AI/robots since they started writing sci-fi. But I guess that crowd doesn't read sci-fi anyway so they just have to get surprised. [Case] It could be just the Geek in me but I think sci-fi writers like William Gibson, Douglas Adams, Asimov, Clarke, David Brin, Orson Card and Greg Bear have written some of the best philosophy of the last century. By constructing novels as thought experiments they have attempted to work out some of the consequences of a world facing accelerating change. The Matrix was a clearer presentation of Descartes'' clever demons than Descartes' or his philosophical successors ever dreamed of. [Mangus] On a serious note, computer viruses have been starting to merge, creating new viruses. This both makes it harder for antivirus programs and there's also a risk that the newly evolved virus is more dangerous than its parents. [Case] I think "life" is a function of the amount of complexity the environment can support. It does not surprise me that in an environment as complex as cyberspace something would be waking up. I just hope it is friendly and quiet like Ender's friend Jane. BTW, I went to the book store last night looking for "The Quantum Self" but got confused and bought "The Quantum Brain" instead. Do you know it? I just thumbed through the diagrams and saw that it was touching the right bases... moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
