Re: computers have no souls!

From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Thu Jan 27 2000 - 19:17:33 MST


At 07:52 PM 27/01/00 -0600, Eli suggested

>1) Ask her how she feels about the Tortured Norns website.

No, but don't you see...? This would trigger instant *guilt by contagion*.
We're not talking logic here, just a kind of visceral shriek.

>2) Ask her if she's sure enough about it to switch off a computer that
>claims to be alive.

Nah, there's just doing what they've been programmed to do. (The fact that
this is inconsistent with the previous reaction cuts no ice.)

>3) "Some of the smartest and most altruistic people I know, maybe the
>best and brightest of the whole world, are embarked on the quest to
>create a synthetic soul

They're deluded. She JUST KNOWS.

>As far as rational logic goes, I'd suggest citing the research on
>artificial circuits using biological neurons.

Aargh! Evil cross-boundary pollution. Light the brands, march on the castle...

Damien



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