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[Rolan7]

Consciousness is a meaningless term philosophers use to feel relevant, by playing on people's fears   I'm half joking.

I think it would be wonderful if we created a new race of beings, silicon or otherwise, that were better.  Stuff like pain being optional, smarter, able to survive harsh planets, but also full appreciation of love and art too.  I think intelligent design can do a lot better than evolution, someday.  And it'd be a glorious legacy for our species.

My post graph is surprisingly even except for about 3AM to 9...  Otherwise there's a strong dip around noon when I'm focusing on work, heh.

Oh oh also wtf, I haven't seen the end of Homestuck yet.  I haven't even gotten around to seeing the long flash from a week ago.  I think it's the same reason I haven't played Undertale, I'm afraid of disappointment and overhype.  I'll do it soon though really, otherwise more spoilers are inevitable.

[penguinofhonor]

No, "scientists" can't just draw a line somewhere and prevent this from happening. How would they even do that? And if there was even a way for it to happen, how would you convince most scientists that it's not worth it to do this research? It's one of the most compelling technologies of our time.

[IcyTea31]

No, "scientists" can't just draw a line somewhere and prevent this from happening. How would they even do that? And if there was even a way for it to happen, how would you convince most scientists that it's not worth it to do this research?

Research is an active activity. It is implausible due to the sheer number of scientists in the world, but possible, to just stop doing it in a particular field. I probably couldn't be able to convince everyone, but I can always hope.

It's one of the most compelling technologies of our time.

Compelling doesn't equal worthwhile. What is there to gain from human-like machines, really and realistically, beyond sating a lust for creation?

[smirk]

No, "scientists" can't just draw a line somewhere and prevent this from happening. How would they even do that? And if there was even a way for it to happen, how would you convince most scientists that it's not worth it to do this research? It's one of the most compelling technologies of our time.

^Basically this. There really isn't anything you could get the entirety of humanity to agree upon, especially when it involves vague questions of future morality, and double-especially when it involves cool new technology. Heheh; ironically, the best way to hamper AI research would probably be to declare them sapient persons with the rights of persons, and also extend the ban on human experimentation to all sapient creatures. And even then that's no guarantee at all.

[Harry Baldman]

Compelling doesn't equal worthwhile. What is there to gain from human-like machines, really and realistically, beyond sating a lust for creation?

Difference between a bird and a jet aircraft - one's a general purpose thing, the other's a tailored device for a specific purpose capable of spectacular, if narrowly focused feats. That, and you can (probably, if it's a matter of software) make a thinking machine with a purpose in mind with lesser expenditure of time and resources than putting your average person through an education specifically for that task. Or so one would assume. Mastery of a natural process' technological analogue implies that you can then branch out beyond what evolution's given us. But then there's a lot of difference between discovery and mastery, especially with something as innately pathological as the search for a general artificial intelligence.

[IcyTea31]

We only ever made very bird-like machines as curiosities. To create the airplane, we emulated a few select parts of a bird, improved upon them, and constructed different planes for different purposes. We even made the helicopter on similar principles, even though it is very unlike a bird. Similarly, an AI doesn't need to emulate a full human being, just enough to complete its task optimally. For different tasks, we can make different AIs. Even a general AI that can complete many tasks doesn't need to be much like a human at all.


E: I just realized something. I'm like someone suggesting abstinence in a debate on abortion, and probably about as hopeless. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

[Cyroth]

Friggin. Seniors.
So I was standing on the train platform waiting for my ride home ("train" sounds a bit grand, its those little trains that run on streets. I have no idea what they're called in english, street train would be a direct translation from german, but the vehicles google shows me for "street train" are way too big) and then something happened that could be straight from a comedy skit.

The platforms of the small station I was waiting at are wide enough that 2 rather "well build" (fat) people could comfortably walk next to each other, heck 3 normal people could walk side by side without bumping into each other. For the amount of people usually on this particular set of platforms they are, as we experts call it, "fucking hueg". I think they might even be bigger then the original XBox, thats how damn spacious they are.

But sadly, roughly in the middle of those platforms there is a lone trash bin. It awkwardly placed and pretty much "in the way".
Now, as I was standing there waiting for my train there were 2 old ladies on the platform across mine, both with walkers, coming from the opposite ends and walking towards each other. They met roughly in front of the trash bin.
How did these classy ladies solve this problem? Did they each move a few centimeters aside so they could walk past each other (for which there is more then enough space)? Nope. Did one of them step back and let the other trough? lolnope.
First they glared at each other so intently (with their little beady eyes) that even I felt the intense hatred radiating from them from 4 friggin meters away.
Then they started yelling abuse at each other. And dang those ladies can yell loudly. I was listening to Rob Zombies Superbeast on a pretty high volume and even I could hear every word.
When my train came a few minutes later they were still yelling, but now they were yelling abue at the people trying to get them to calm down.

Seeing two "adult" humans screaming at the other "b*tch" for blocking her way in what amounts to a huge empty space is both confusing and disturbingly hilarious.

[Aklyon]

Friggin. Seniors.
So I was standing on the train platform waiting for my ride home ("train" sounds a bit grand, its those little trains that run on streets. I have no idea what they're called in english, street train would be a direct translation from german, but the vehicles google shows me for "street train" are way too big)

From my knowledge of OTTD (but not having actually seen one irl myself), I would say its called a tram.

[Egan_BW]

Friggin. Seniors.
So I was standing on the train platform waiting for my ride home ("train" sounds a bit grand, its those little trains that run on streets. I have no idea what they're called in english, street train would be a direct translation from german, but the vehicles google shows me for "street train" are way too big)

From my knowledge of OTTD (but not having actually seen one irl myself), I would say its called a tram.

Might call it a streetcar, but that might only.apply to single-car trains.

[Shadowlord]

What is there to gain from human-like machines, really and realistically, beyond sating a lust for creation?

Fixed and answered that for you

Friggin. Seniors.
So I was standing on the train platform waiting for my ride home ("train" sounds a bit grand, its those little trains that run on streets. I have no idea what they're called in english, street train would be a direct translation from german, but the vehicles google shows me for "street train" are way too big)

From my knowledge of OTTD (but not having actually seen one irl myself), I would say its called a tram.

Friggin. Seniors.
So I was standing on the train platform waiting for my ride home ("train" sounds a bit grand, its those little trains that run on streets. I have no idea what they're called in english, street train would be a direct translation from german, but the vehicles google shows me for "street train" are way too big)

From my knowledge of OTTD (but not having actually seen one irl myself), I would say its called a tram.

Might call it a streetcar, but that might only.apply to single-car trains.

I'm in America and I've heard them called trams and trolleys, and only "streetcars" in "a streetcar named desire."

[itisnotlogical]

-snip-

!!-MASSIVE OVER-GENERALIZATION WARNING-!!

I would say that SOME SENIORS, in general because this is a generalization tend to view themselves as the most important people on the face of the planet, and they deserve not only respect but grovelling, toe-kissing fear and awe. So, each feels that the other should get out of the way because they are old and deserve every respect humanly possible.

[Neonivek]

BIG TEXT!

WHOA! a bit of a over reaction.

[itisnotlogical]

I've put my foot in my mouth too many times to be any less cautious, even when I make the most minor of generalizations about any group that exists.

My WTF:

There's a guy kinda wandering around the commons wearing a shirt saying "Jesus Is Real" and appears to be wanting an argument over it. Real upright, chest puffed out, making unnecessary eye contact, that sort of thing. It honestly makes me kinda uncomfortable but he's not actually doing anything.

[Neonivek]

I've put my foot in my mouth too many times to be any less cautious, even when I make the most minor of generalizations about any group that exists.

Yeah but that was the equivalent of yelling from a megaphone and waving your hands around while pissing yourself.

[itisnotlogical]

Some can't even read the name of a game from the body of the post in How Did You Last Die. I was preventing an argument before it happened. Thanks for the colorful comparison though.