Can a computer emulate a human mind

Discussion in 'Intelligence & Machines' started by dtroitdiesel, Apr 2, 2003.

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  1. dtroitdiesel Registered Member

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    I was thinking about Alan Turing ans some other functionalists the other day and I came up with a related question.
    Even though the technology may not be present currently, do you think it is possible for a computer to correctly emulate the human mind?
    One must remember that along with the memory and cognition of the human mind, what avout the consciousness and mental structure of the machine mind?
     
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  3. Fafnir665 You just got served. Registered Senior Member

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    while reading your post, a small insight i just had was, while we as humans would want just the thinking part, to truly get a human level intelligence out of machines, wouldnt we also need the automatic parts as well, the regulatory, the subconcious, etc, the autonomic (i think correct part) nervous system, and the recognition that it is a mind. Wouldnt the best way of doing this be to model its development the same way you would a childs? make computer synapses that would start out with just the few basic connections to regulate its growth, as in a child, then have it "grow" into itself? For instance, have the synapses make new connections much as ours do to uniquely store the information that it locates?

    that was my first impression after reading your post,
    tootles!
     
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  5. hlreed Registered Senior Member

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    No, a computer cannot do anything complex. A computer is a simple linear array of registers with a fetch and decode machine. It has no sensors, no brain, no motors.
    I am not saying this lightly, I started working on AI in 1958 and gave it up in 1975. That was when I realized that even if you had a program to emulate a brain, it would not do anything and would be worthless.
    We should get rid of the idea.
     
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  7. Dizzle Registered Member

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    hmm a computer is only as smart as the person who inputs the data, i think that in the future yes the cpmputer will be complex enough that it can imitate the thought processes of the human brain, i dont think that i will see it in my lifetime but i think in generations to come computers and humans will become absolutely dependent on one another, look at the facts what is there that cant be done over the internet, in every aspect you can some how link it back to a very simple binary strand of data, our brain has only a few things over the computer it has:
    a) the ability to reason
     
  8. Dizzle Registered Member

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    b)the ability to feel affection
    but i think that the next evolution of man kind will be dependent on the simple processes of computes so brains will do more complex things

    i hit tab enter, hence the two posts sorry
     
  9. Fafnir665 You just got served. Registered Senior Member

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    thats using linear computing though, what about quantum computing? their non linear arent they?
     
  10. sargentlard Save the whales motherfucker Valued Senior Member

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    or analog computing?
     
  11. Frencheneesz Amazing Member Registered Senior Member

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    If you all think about it, our brain is just a complex computer in itself, so isn't asking this begging the question: can we build a computer that can emulate our natural computer? Of course.
     
  12. odin Registered Senior Member

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    No it can't be that stupid!

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  13. cyborgrrl Registered Member

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    my thoughts exactly - i'm on another thread with someone about quantum computing in relation to the theory of parallel universes put forth by David Deutsch, and I agree that a linear system can't emulate a nonlinear system (which I believe the mind to be) - but what about quantum computation?

    Isn't it interesting that the binary system used by classical computers is only analagous to reality on a certain level? On the quantum level, all of those rules break down. Something can be more than one thing at once at the quantum level. Perhaps the "mind" follows different rules than the "brain" in the same way that different rules apply at the quantum level for matter. So - would a quantum computer be able to emulate the not-so-black-and-white states of consciousness, emotion, etc. (as distinct from linear reason)? I'm especially interested to hear the opinion of the guy whose done work in AI.
     
  14. spacemanspiff czar of things Registered Senior Member

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    depends on what you mean by emulate a human mind. do you want it to work in the same exact way? or do you just want similar outputs and behaviour?

    computers won't work the exact same way. think about memory. a computer can had a 1-1 perfect representation of all it went through in memory. that is very unhuman like. even thought it's not like a human in function you could still have it be as 'intelligent' as a person.

    i think we should recognise that human intelligence is not the only kind of intelligence there can be and that any intelligent machines we create in the future may or maynot be just like us.
     
  15. cyborgrrl Registered Member

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    Oh, I agree with you. Besides, what would be the POINT of creating something EXACTLY like a human? What would be the value in creating something with all the same flaws? To be able to create any kind of intelligence would be remarkable - a carbon copy of human intelligence would be kind of . . . useless.
     
  16. Blindman Valued Senior Member

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  17. Capibara GrandfatherOfAllKnowledge Registered Senior Member

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    Blindman is perfecly right , a computer can be programmed to forget ...

    and I do think computers could replicate a human mind it's just that you'd probably have to simulate every atom (actually every subatomic particle) in the HEAD and the way they interact to get a near perfect replica ... unfortunately it would be almost impossible to make it work in "real time" because of the way computers are built ...

    simulating only our neural network might work faster but it would still require a huge amount of computing power and you would have to replace some of the "randomness" and the effect of chemical substances and many other things that make up a human mind...

    and
    how can someone that has been working in this field for so many years bring such a silly argument ?!? ... if you want to replicate a human mind you would have to also at least simulate all inputs and analyse the outputs ... and although I usually respect older people I must remind you that you gave up on the ideea when computers were still very very useless and very slow ...

    however it is true that simulating a human mind is completly useless and a waste of time ...
    studying the mind and creating human like behaviour or even superior intelligence is a completly different thing and must be pursued
     
  18. Jez Optimist Registered Senior Member

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    I think it is rather simple why we cant replicate a human mind...

    1st: There is still alot of the brain that is undiscovered.
    2nd: There is problems with the input... humans have 5 senses that gathers data, a humanoid robot has 3 at most...
     
  19. Fafnir665 You just got served. Registered Senior Member

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    sorry, but neither of theses count as simple, they may be easy to write down, but even three words can carry a lot of complexity, such as "i love you", but thats another point...

    i thinkw e realized this... at least i do, and thats just a reason why we can't do it now...

    Thats not really a good reason, yea we have 5 senses, and theres only three available for the robot, but who says we can't create different sensors? The statement is false anyways, robots have ears, eyes, dispersed pressure sensors (touch), olfalctory (smell) though it is in its infancy at the moment, and taste, again rudimentary, and "sense" that humans have can be broken down to some kind of chemical reaction, so its not correct to say that a robot can't posses the few sense we have, plus more.
     
  20. Capibara GrandfatherOfAllKnowledge Registered Senior Member

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    1.There are ways to find out how the brain works and people are working on it , it's only a matter of time before we will be able to fully understand it.

    2.Robots can have virtually thousands of senses and can gather alot more data then a human ... altough if you want to create a human mind you don't need it.
     
  21. Frencheneesz Amazing Member Registered Senior Member

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    Ya, the question is not whether someone can build one in the next year, its if its possible; and that answer is obvious.
     
  22. Fafnir665 You just got served. Registered Senior Member

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    i dont see any of that in the original post, what are you reading?
     
  23. Frencheneesz Amazing Member Registered Senior Member

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    Fafnir665:

    Well, I was refering to this question:

    "Even though the technology may not be present currently, do you think it is possible for a computer to correctly emulate the human mind? "

    Do you see it now?
     
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