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Peter Watts became the living master of hard scifi, (imo), with "Blindsight". In that book he first described (in terms that someone like me could understand) a
by calydon 15y ago
Peter Watts became the living master of hard scifi, (imo), with "Blindsight". In that book he first described (in terms that someone like me could understand) a cognition that rivals and surpasses human intelligence, by an alien creature that is 'unconscious'. It's so counter-intuitive to human thought (and arrogance) that something can be autonomous (unaware of its own actions) yet still work with purpose and according to a strategy that benefits its interests. Because the systems that are needed to maintain awareness are not present, this is in fact a faster and less error-prone method of thinking.
He also does a neat trick where the aliens can communicate with us, despite having no understanding of what they are saying. I would have to re-read that part of the book to offer an explanation, but it involves grammar and information theory.
I would like to know, is this study of crypto-intelligence a recognized field and is Peter Watts at the forefront of this study, or is he getting his ideas from a disconnected body of experts?
- barry-cotter 15y agoCtrl + F "Sentience/Intelligence" on the below link and you will get to the absolutely most relevant bits to your question. Crypto-intelligence isn't big enough to be a field but cognitive science is, and it covers all the interesting bits of neuroscience, psychology and philosophy. http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm#Notes http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm#Notes
- bane 15y agoNow I'm intrigued. Thanks for giving me a book that's just gone to the top of my reading pile! This idea of a brain, able to emulate a more powerful brain makes a kind of intuitive sense, or the number of neurons required for complex thinking is far lower than our understanding allows.
- jamesbritt 15y agoHe also does a neat trick where the aliens can communicate with us, despite having no understanding of what they are saying. "The Chinese Room Argument" http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/chinese-room/ http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/chinese-room/