The Singularity is Near

[JustinPadinske]

I am about 200 pages through Ray Kurzweil's 2005 The Singularity is Near. I am blown away so far. Not saying I agree with all of his information but I definitely believe the idea of "living forever" is incredibly interesting. Anyone read it or any other of his books or see Transcendent Man?

 

[wanamingo]

Will a sufficiently advanced computer become self aware?

Or, do we need to program a soul subroutine?

 

[JustinPadinske]

I have no idea, sorry I meant to say 100 pages not 200, I am on the chapter now discussing the computation of the human brain. But judging from what I have seen Kurzweil discuss in his speeches and such. We are going to create a computer completely run by software but rather combine humans and machinery to create a machine with AI. Humans would first need to figure out the code of the brain and how to link it. Maybe one day we would create a completely self aware computer but it is far more likely humans would combine with machine as we are already seeing that now at the very slightest level of experimentation.

 

[wanamingo]

Its just something I like to think about from time to time.

we know that the human brain is just a big meaty computer. Neurons firing are an analogy for digital 1's and 0's. Same with a synapse being a logical electrical bridge.

So if we made a computer that can replicate the synapses of a human brain would it "Wake up"? Or would it just be a crazy gaming rig, just capable of crunching numbers?

Another though game I like to play with this idea is teleporters.... Now bare with me.

When Kirk steps into a teleporter he is not teleported he is destroyed and an exact copy of him down to the atom is reproduced on Omicron Persei 8.

So does that mean your soul or personality is recoded just in the way your brains neurons and pathways are setup? If I made a clone of myself down to the atom would it have all of my memories and experiences up until the cloning? Or would it just be an identical meat shell of me.

Same with computers, if we created a sufficiently advanced machine would it become aware? Like the clone of me(Or Kirk) or would it just be hardware oblivious to emotion or awareness?

Interesting stuff.

But totally the first step is human computer combinations but eventually a fully artificial intelligence will be created.

Just dont employ Dr. Gaius Baltar........

 

[Reynod]

Skynet is the worry.

We can't let the world become inhabited with Arnold Schwarzeneeger lookalikes.

Plus I couldm't possibly live through those movies again ... unless I was restrained ... sedated ... and the toothpicks were holding my eyes open.

I'd still dream of electric sheep.

 

[JustinPadinske]

What do you mean by amalgam, I only know that word in Dentistry, could you define that and possible give me a source or article discussing it. Not trying to be a prick just really enjoy learning and discussing issues such as these and I try to learn as much as I can before forming opinions. Now on to your thoughts which I found interesting as well. I guess that is a new idea for me to form a computer with a human brain, I always thought of it as a human brain with a computer. Although you could say our brain already is a computer of sorts but I mean a traditional computer combined with our brains. So for instant we could implant a chip into our heads to do all calculations for us. So when we are in math class it is basically like having an automatic calculator in our heads. Then the question of would math classes even be needed, still yes because we could figure out any equation but there is still the challenge of creating algorithms. I suppose one day we could create machines so powerful to have the capabilities of humans in terms of creative. I am not so sure it would "wake up" as live its life based on the parameters we program into it, and if we come up with an algorithm where it can learn and adapt then who knows what would happen.

 

[JustinPadinske]

The teleporter idea is extremely fascinating. If you create an exact replica of yourself down to the atom then you yourself seeing as we base our beliefs and personalities on experiences and ideas we receive. Those ideas are stored in our brain somehow. They have to be stored someway readable, maybe not for awhile but perhaps someday. At least that is what I believe, therefore if we make an exact clone then the same pathways and data stored are there once the person teleports. Unless there is something smaller than an atom...or humans have an soul which I do not believe but I certainly will not dismiss

 

[JustinPadinske]

Why do you need a soul? What is a soul?

 

[JustinPadinske]

Oh got cha, we differ on the existence of souls, but I have heard souls used to represent personality and our characteristic which is what I thought you might be saying.

 

[JustinPadinske]

If you do not mind me asking, why do you believe in a soul? Or I guess a better question is do you ever wonder if we are just a random pattern of signals, remove a few of those signals and we forget who we are as seen in brain damaged patients where a particular region of their brain gets damaged and they forget who they are pointing at a probably cause of certain signals being damaged. What happened to there soul? People have completely forgot everything about themselves from brain damage

 

[JustinPadinske]

I appreciate the offer, a little swarmed with college books and personal books but I will try to take a peak, have you read the book I began this discussion with or any of Ray Kurzweil's works? Have you studied Biochemistry?

 

[johnsonma]

I believe a soul is pure energy once released from our physical vessels and yes I believe souls have past lives except for people who are "soulless".

Our soul is something we as human beings have lost touch with. Spiritual knowledge used to be much like scientific knowledge thousands of years ago. It was something you could teach and progress at. Unfortunately the priests and rulers of humans have distorted this knowledge over the ages and turned it into theatrical rituals and the dogma of different forms of worship via the mystery schools and there "divine" exclusivity.

You should read The Gods of Eden by William Brambley. Don't be discouraged by the first couple of chapters because you will think "this is nuts". Keep reading.

If our soul was pure energy, wouldn't we be able to measure it then? Also when people start a new life is their soul injected into the new embryos? I believe science is the new religion, they will have to meet at some point and I think science will end up crossing 99% of the void between them.

As for the self aware computers, anyone play mass effect 3 yet? I know its only a game, but they have an interesting concept of unshackled AI's being integrated into society by giving them the ability to be like us. Also, the legion AI starts referring to himself as I, and that exemplifies his awareness of his own existence, or his birth if you will.

 

[johnsonma]

I guess pure spiritual energy. It's something we as humans can not see, touch, or sense though I think some special humans like psychics can. It is 'injected' as you say at the moment of conception, not into a waiting embryo, and is released when our physical vessels expire.

Wait a minute, psychics can can detect souls? Do you know any psychics?