FAQ: Keeping pace with robots

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Bit of forest for the trees.: "Genetic algorithms do not yet create anything that resembles a step-by-step problem solving process."

Nor do almost any natural intelligence systems, either. In fact, beyond humans, I don't believe they have found any animal capable of problem-solving beyond a few steps. And intoxication severely reducing the number of steps we are capable of as well.

The issue of finding a good enough solution is not a problem of those algorithms alone, either. Humans tend to suffer from the same good enough dilemma as well. It is only through a collaboration of many (the more different sorts the better) humans do the chances of more unique and promising solutions arise. As explained in the adage, "Two heads are better than one."

"And I have yet to see true sef-replication from raw materials, like humans do. What I've seen is essentially self-assembling. They assemble themselves, but they cannot create their own parts from raw materials."

I don't disagree with you at all. But the issue is a matter of scale and time. The fact that we can create machines that reproduce given predefined materials is more a proof of concept than an actual implementation. As you reduce the size of the process, you reduce the complexity of the components necessary for reproduction. Think of the cubes as nano-machines instead. When the components required to self-replicate are simply different elements, raw materials abound.

A lot has changed in the last 40 years. And change has appeared almost exponential. No reason to think that it will not continue to accelerate. I may not happen in 40 years. But I do not think it is unreasonable to say that it can, either.; Posted by: Zinoron Posted on: 10/06/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use