Re:The Long-Term Jobs Killer Is Not China, It’s Automation
by dwaltrip on Thursday December 22, 2016 @02:35PM
(#13239687)
The question is whether a silicon brain can acquire the capabilities of a human brain without picking up sentience along the way.
In order to perform at or above human level (in a general fashion), the robot will need a firm, comprehensive understanding of the world. Won't this unavoidably involve an understanding of the self as well?
Re:The Long-Term Jobs Killer Is Not China, It’s Automation
by pdog on Friday December 23, 2016 @10:15PM
(#13248389)
What self is there to understand? Does a computer chip know what it's processing?
Re:The Long-Term Jobs Killer Is Not China, It’s Automation
by dwaltrip on Sunday December 25, 2016 @10:05PM
(#13256704)
The awareness of all sensory or data input, internal processes, as well as the system's dynamic conceptual models and their change over time. This includes an awareness of the system's conceptual model of itself.
I don't think any chips today have awareness. But it seems to me that you couldn't have general, adaptable intelligence without it.
And zero people can even describe how a sentient robot could be constructed, even with theoretical future hardware. "We'll have as many flops as some models say a brain has, and programmers are creative" is about as far as anyone can get, but I don't think that qualifies as a plan.
So, it's a fun thing to think about, but like all sci-fi it probably isn't the best basis for societal planning.