Artificial Intelligence

edited March 2010 in Faith Issues
It's been hypothesised by many scientists that one day we will have the technology to rebuild a human brain, and once we do, theoretically, it should come to life! This means that we would have created a being, an independant consciousness. ( The scientific relevance of this is that these machines will be able to do research and answer questions that our limitations dont allow us to answer, so basically, they're expected to evolve and become smarter than humans).

Now I know this can't be true. A machine, no matter how human-like, can never be alive.
I am however having trouble putting this into words. Can anyone illustrate for me why these machines can never live and evolve independently ?

+ God Bless

Comments

  • Such is ridiculus. It won't happen
  • Scientists really have no idea what it means to be human, so it is always premature for them to say they are about to recreate the human brain in mechanical form.

    Firstly, the human brain is only aspect of our humanity. We are not our brains. We use our brains. It might well be possible for sopme rudimentary approximation to some elements of the brain to be developed, but that would not make such a machine the same as a brain, and would certainly not be the same as consciousness, and especially human consciousness. There is no place in such a view of humanity for the soul or spirit of a person, which is the real subject of human personhood.

    Secondly, you can be sure, based on experiences with computers over a long period, that you would end up with e-Brain 1 and then e-Brain 2, and then the disaster of e-Brain 3, not to mention the effect of computer viruses etc. And the likelihood is that it would end up like the Terminator films or I, Robot where the 'intelligent' cyber brain decides to eliminate humanity.

    No, thanks. I have enough trouble with Vista and IE8.

    Father Peter
  • I have a few comments about this issue.

    1) Computers are smarter than humans when it comes to programmatic thinking. Look at Game Theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory so this is possible. To sum Game Theory up, computers can figure out the best move to make because it can figure out what your best move would be...hence computers that play chess, checkers, etc

    2) Computers can be programmed to read data and store that information. So as the computer reads more data, it will begin storing more data and then ultimately make better decisions over time. Just like how kids learn, they see fire, touch fire, get burned, learned not to touch fire. The computers experience will allow it to make better decisions thus making it smarter. Its programmed to do everything, hence artificial intelligence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence.

    However,  even though the computer can learn and even outsmart humans it will never be human. Humans on the other hand have a soul, something computers will never have. Even the "feelings" the computers will have are still artificial and have no really meaning to the computer and thus they will never learn to truly Love, a gift we receive from God.

    Ultimately they can copy God, but they will never be God.

    In Christ
  • [quote author=Hizz_chiilld link=topic=9015.msg112392#msg112392 date=1269531367]
    It's been hypothesised by many scientists that one day we will have the technology to rebuild a human brain, and once we do, theoretically, it should come to life! This means that we would have created a being, an independant consciousness. ( The scientific relevance of this is that these machines will be able to do research and answer questions that our limitations dont allow us to answer, so basically, they're expected to evolve and become smarter than humans).

    Now I know this can't be true. A machine, no matter how human-like, can never be alive.
    I am however having trouble putting this into words. Can anyone illustrate for me why these machines can never live and evolve independantly ?

    + God Bless



    In computing, we create. We tell a system to do something and it does it. If it doesn't do what we programmed, then the program didnt work, and its called a "bug". Therefore, whatever a man will design, will never have free will. he can make it immitate AS IF the machine has free will - but its not. Its imitation. For example, I can create a program to decide whether it wants tea, coffee or biscuits by using an algorithm that is based on the day of the week + a random number. Each time you ask the program what it wants to drink, it may change its mind in such a random way that it will look as if it is artificial. But you cannot create a free thinking machine.

    Artificial Intelligence (or AI) has the following characteristics within the discipline of computer science:
    * A system that can:
    Learn from mistakes
    It can plan
    It can communicate
    It can move and/or manipulate objects
    Problem solve (obviously)
    But no where in my text books can it have a free will. No where can it fall in love. No where can it be designed to freely choose to hate someone or love someone. Although it will never die, it is already dead. Its a machine.

    lol..

    I remember once we had this server crash, and it was a huge HP box (worth 100's of thousands). I was there with this Indian friend of mine. The thing didn't start up. We were both a bit a worried, and then he looks at me and says:

    "The lights are on, but there's nobody home".

    haha.. the lights of the machine were on, but it wasn't working.

    The only artificial intelligence known to man that seems to work is a blonde woman dying her hair brown. LOL (JuST KIDDING!!)
  • Thanks everyone :)

    + God bless
  • so for them to create such a complex structure and organize it in such a way that everything will be in a convenient position for fast reactions and information processing, well, they just can't do it, cuz they're not God.

    Well, the prediction is (and I believe this could be true) is that in about 2025 they will have the technology to analyse and recreate a human brain. THIS DOES NOT mean however, that it will come to life. All it means that they will create a machine that can work as fast as the brain, and perhaps even do the same ammount of simultaneous processes (the brain is estimated to do 100 000 000 processes simultaneously).

    The software allowing free will to take place, however, is no where near coming to terms with. I think they're just hoping that the hardware side will magically take care of that.
  • Because of the never ending desire to use technology for the diminution of human liberty, all efforts will be used technologically to enslave men.  We the people may have to use scythes and sickles while our masters may ride on brass hovering chariots to watch over their cattle.  Don't be surprised when the Robots amass to put down a revolt.  The future is not bright, our leaders betray the Free Market and allow the few to monopolize business and industry (Health Care Bill).  Human Liberty was a dream that was put down like a horse.
  • A good question is will these robots have intuition like humans do?
  • no.
    i usually apologise for long posts, so, here i can say, sorry, it's a short post!
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