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While I don't have the knowledge to dismiss Kurzweil's theories outright (I only have a gut feeling), I must say that this response did not achieve a refutation
by wolfrom 16y ago
While I don't have the knowledge to dismiss Kurzweil's theories outright (I only have a gut feeling), I must say that this response did not achieve a refutation of the statement that "Ray Kurzweil does not understand the brain".
I did not see anything in that response that indicated that Kurzweil is basing his beliefs on anything more than his 2001 adaptation of Moore's law to all things technological; to me, the brain's biology and particularly its physiology fall outside our current notions of technology.
- mechanical_fish 16y agoIt sounds like it's time once again to link to Bruce Sterling's entertaining, comprehensive review of the Singularity movement: http://foratv.vo.llnwd.net/o33/rss/Long_Now_Podcasts/podcast-2004-06-11-sterling.mp3 http://foratv.vo.llnwd.net/o33/rss/Long_Now_Podcasts/podcast...
- raimondious 16y agoI agree — we can't simulate something we don't understand, and it's nearly impossible to estimate how long it will take to understand anything. We don't even know what consciousness is, so how can we even begin to simulate it?
- Symmetry 16y agoReally? Generally I mostly simulate things whose macroscopic behaviour I don't understand, and I simulate them so that I can understand them better.
- raimondious 16y agoIt's true that we do that, but we at least understand the framework. Simulated models are the basis of a lot of neuro research, but we need to do so much more biology before we can begin to even try to simulate the brain in any useful way on a macro level.
- jon_hendry 16y agoIt basically comes down to this: Kurzweil's paralyzing fear of death demands that the human brain be simulated soon, before he dies, so that his consciousness can be preserved in silicon. Add in Moore's Law and an underestimate of the complexity of the brain, and stir.