I find it disturbing the notion we might exist without bodies. And the idea that consciousness can be extracted from the body seems counter-intuitive, or simply ridiculous. Recent research (sorry can't recall) suggests neural networks extend outside of the brain (for instance the eye, retina);
the body is instrumental in human thought too. And have they not seen the film AI? On 24/11/2008, "Simon Biggs" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >I agree we need a change in our minds. But this raises a key question what >are our minds, where are they located? If you accept the conventional >understanding on this (minds are in our head¹s and a function of our brains) >then we have to await evolution for change. However, evolution is a very >slow process, even allowing for sudden mutation. Whilst it is true that an >organism can experience sudden mutation, that might be immediately >successful, it then takes many, usually hundreds, of generations for it to >feed through to a shift in the species. Thus I doubt we will see any general >change in our lifetimes or those of our children, grandchildren or >their¹s. > >However, if you understand that mind is only incidentally linked to the >brain, perhaps taking a radical Foucauldian view (the mind as social >instantiation), then we might not need to wait for evolution to work its >powerful but slow force upon us (unless you are a Social Darwinist). Society >can change quite quickly, as we have seen in both the distant and recent >past. > >Personally I think mind is composed of both of these elements (and then some >more) - in which case it is anyone¹s guess as to what will happen. > >Does that make me a post-humanist? I guess to be that you have to be a >humanist in the first instance and I know I am not a humanist. I prefer to >take a non-anthropocentric view of the universe and where value may be >found. > >Regards > >Simon > > >On 24/11/08 16:45, "marc garrett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Hi Simon, >> >> One thing that I know I am not for sure, and that is a post-humanist. >> >> Although, I do know those who feel that human evolution involves moving >> away from the (supposed) restrictions of our bodies. >> >> Yet, I feel before we can even venture in this form of direction, we >> need to move into improving our minds first - which of course, would >> take a very long time looking at what is happening around the world... >> >> marc >>> > Check out Stelarc¹s take on this >>> > >>> > http://thinkinghead.edu.au/ >>> > >>> > Regards >>> > >>> > Simon >>> > >>> > >>> > On 24/11/08 16:01, "marc garrett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> > >>> > >>>> >> Scientists add emotions to robotic head. >>>> >> >>>> >> Claiming that service-class robots will one day be pervasive, >>>> >> researchers at the University of the West of England's Bristol Robotics >>>> >> Laboratory (BRL) have begun investigating ways to make robots seem more >>>> >> human. >>>> >> >>>> >> Just as PCs are now common in households, workplaces, and parts of our >>>> >> environment, BRL expects "service-class" robotic devices to become "a >>>> >> pervasive element of our future society." This will represent a "huge >>>> >> opportunity for life enhancement and commercial exploitation," the lab >>>> adds. >>>> >> >>>> >> Typical occupations for tomorrow's robotic underlings are expected to >>>> >> include: >>>> >> >>>> >> * Aids for the elderly >>>> >> * Domestic servants >>>> >> * Tour guides >>>> >> * Hotel porters >>>> >> * Non beer-drinking "assistants" on construction sites >>>> >> * Leisure/gaming robots >>>> >> * Numerous military roles >>>> >> * "...and so on" >>>> >> >>>> >> Since service-class robots will occupy environments that contain people, >>>> >> there's a fundamental need for them to interact in an easy and natural >>>> >> manner with their human companions, BRL notes. >>>> >> >>>> >> more... >>>> >> http://www.deviceguru.com/scientists-add-emotions-to-robotic-head/ >>>> >> _______________________________________________ >>>> >> NetBehaviour mailing list >>>> >> [email protected] >>>> >> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >>>> >> >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > Simon Biggs >>> > Research Professor >>> > edinburgh college of art >>> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> > www.eca.ac.uk >>> > www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ >>> > >>> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> > www.littlepig.org.uk >>> > AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk >>> > >>> > >>> > Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number >>> SC009201 >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> > >>> > _______________________________________________ >>> > NetBehaviour mailing list >>> > [email protected] >>> > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >> >> _______________________________________________ >> NetBehaviour mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > > > >Simon Biggs >Research Professor >edinburgh college of art >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >www.eca.ac.uk >www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >www.littlepig.org.uk >AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk > > >Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number >SC009201 > > > > _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
