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This is less surprising if you imagine evolution to be a reinforcement machine learning system. The dung beetle actors are given all the sensory inputs of their
by njharman 9y ago
This is less surprising if you imagine evolution to be a reinforcement machine learning system. The dung beetle actors are given all the sensory inputs of their environment. Those that used the inputs (which happened to be our galaxy) where better at satisfying goal and thus had higher selection rate for next iteration of system. The actors, much like machine leaning, AI, don't have any logic nor any reasoning. They simply are a ludicrously complex, but deterministic state machine of inputs -> mess -> outputs. The mess being seeming unintelligible, not rational, with lots of "cruft".
- Scaevolus 9y agoGene regulatory networks function much like neuronal networks, but with adaptability on the order of thousands of years instead of days.
- lioeters 9y agoI think that's a relevant metaphor, to look at evolution as a kind of machine learning system - especially the aspect of actors not "knowing" or understanding the logic/reasoning behind their (seemingly?) intelligent behavior. That might be a way to explain "intelligent design" in nature, without bringing God or consciousness into the narrative.
- nashashmi 9y ago> without bringing God or consciousness into the narrative. Are you that afraid of God? Honestly though, the more you break apart and put together the world through science, the stronger are the signs of a higher order. The more you take comfort in shallow explanations, the dimmer and darker your world becomes. Machine learning! Hah! It is nothing more than pattern recognition. Reactions to that pattern are a different thing entirely.
- stouset 9y agoAre you that desperate for a God that you recoil when scientists and mathematicians find a natural explanation for some phenomenon? The more you break apart the world through science, the more you realize that even the simplest of rulesets can give rise to an incredibly complex network of of structure, behavior, and incentives — no deity required. Enjoy your ever-shrinking God of the Gaps.
- nashashmi 9y agoThere is nothing natural about a dung learning to navigate using the stars. Nothing that great either. A creature will always try to figure its way using objects as a reference point. An incredibly complex network of structures is more proof of a higher order. Enjoy your belief in a perpetually self-correcting field of science and a perception of the world that never ceases to change. By definition, you'll never find peace.
- gnaritas 9y ago> There is nothing natural about a dung learning to navigate using the stars. Yes there is, it's perfectly natural as was just explained to you above. No magic required, simple evolution. > An incredibly complex network of structures is more proof of a higher order. No, it isn't. It's well established that very simple rules can create incredibly complex network of structures with no higher order whatsoever. > Enjoy your belief in a perpetually self-correcting field of science and a perception of the world that never ceases to change. By definition, you'll never find peace. Nonsense. If you require iron age superstition to achieve peace, that's you; others don't have that requirement.
- nashashmi 9y agoI honestly wished you made better backup points to your arguments. I'm left with nothing to go on as it is now. Not natural does not imply magic. Nature by my reasoning is magical though. Simple rules fail in the subject of the Heisenberg principle.
- Retric 9y agoHeisenberg principle is not magical, it's not just the way you are used to looking at the world. CPU designers on the other hand really do need to pay attention as it's a significant real world issue for them. Past that, Quantium computing actually uses the Heisenberg principle while producing very consistent results.
- gnaritas 9y ago> Are you that afraid of God? People who are talking about science and don't want to bring God in the mix generally don't want to do so because they believe gods are silly superstition; you cant' be afraid of things you don't have any reason to believe exist. > Honestly though, the more you break apart and put together the world through science, the stronger are the signs of a higher order. Not remotely true.
- apk-d 9y agoI thought god-fearing usually refers to religious people. It's a positive term, too (when used in self-description, at least).
- Shorel 9y agoSome people like me, find the very idea of god intellectually disgusting. Some people also avoid stepping on excrement, and that doesn't mean they are afraid of it.