Thanks Chandan, I will add this to my reading list. Right now I am struggling to find the time to get back to Kurzweil's The Singularity is Near. Not far enough into it to comment on it except that so far I don't share Kurzweil's optimism for a future dominated by technology.
Coming back to the topic a bit, I guess I'm wondering why so many of us are so comfortable with making machines smarter than we are, while so resistant to the idea that the other animals can be intelligent. Well, it was nice to surface for a day or so, but it's back to the rat race for me now. Darryl Chandan Haldar wrote: > If you are in a mood to explore this topic more academically, > Douglas Hofstadter's "The Mind's I" is a classic compilation > of landmark writings on the subject including philosophical > essays, literary pieces, and views of computer science and > AI legends with annotations by Hofstadter and Daniel Dennet. > No technical background necessary. > > Chandan > > “If all the animals were gone, man's spirit would die from > loneliness.” - Chief Seattle > > > Darryl McMahon wrote: >> But surely we do understand how aware other animals are. It's why we >> are so adept at using them as tools to so many things on our behalf. >> Bomb sniffing dogs, miner's rats and canaries, carrier pigeons, horses' >> ability to distinguish between potable and contaminated water, etc. >> >> As for the arrogance of man toward "beast", surely our history shows >> we're just as willing to subjugate other humans, be it based on race, >> religion, class or economic status. >> >> Darryl >> >> Kirk McLoren wrote: >>> It is such a sad thing that people dont understand how aware other animals >>> are. >>> >>> Kirk >>> >>> Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=mDntbGRPeEU >>> > > _______________________________________________ > Biofuel mailing list > Biofuel@sustainablelists.org > http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): > http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > > > -- ******************************************************************* * I am significantly behind on e-mails on all fronts. Tardiness * * in my responses is no reflection on you or your message, but a * * symptom of how much is happening in my many areas of interest. * ******************************************************************* Darryl McMahon It's your planet. If you won't look after it, who will? The Emperor's New Hydrogen Economy (in trade paperback and eBook) http://www.econogics.com/TENHE/ _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
