Re: virus: Random Chance

Kevin M O'Connor (kmoprime@juno.com)
Thu, 31 Oct 1996 15:41:29 EST


On Thu, 31 Oct 1996 06:38:04 -0600 JPS <schneids@centuryinter.net>
writes:
>Kennethe Boyd wrote:
>[clip of a quote of mine]
>> This is the reason why the Strong AI hypothesis is actually serious.
>>
>> Systems can exhibit mind-like behavior without having a recognizable
>
>> basis for it. Defined operationally, it is quite possible that
>random
>> selection, plus mutation on a genome that was a short distance away
>from
>> an allele (system) with the solution, could fully duplicate the
>> practical effect of the reasoning chain. It just takes longer
>without
>> properly adapted hardware.
>
>Whew! - I do support the strong AI hypothesis, based on similar
>(probably
>more naive) arguments.

Let me say once again, that Dennett presents some very useful
distinctions on this topic is his book, "Kinds of Minds." The book is
short, accessible, and very very relevant to our discussion. I won't say
it's required reading for the list as I get the impression that many
people haven't read Dawkins, and if the Extended Phenotype isn't
required reading for this list, then there is no required reading.

-KMO