also let's not forget those poor people (especially geeks in in fashion shops who need to replace those ripped, worn-out jeans because their girlfriend forced them to) who feel uncomfortable in overheated, confined spaces and will grab the first thing they find just to get out...
I currently live in a student residence and we've had the same problems. The solution was indeed to force everyone to have up-to-date virus protection and firewall, failure to comply resulted in unplugging. For those few who really didn't get it done there still is one public linux terminal (pretty slow though), so even those can download and print their lecture slides from time to time:)
A robot we construct, if complicated enough, will be able to exhibit REAL learning, thinking, motication, etc.
I'm not sure being 'complicated' is enough for a machine to have consciousness - which is IMHO a prerequisite for 'thinking' in the sense as we understand it in humans. We would first need to *understand* what consciousness really is, and we are far away from that.
What is so different about our various cognitive mechanisms (motivation, learning, thinking -whatever that is)?
Well, indeed there's no difference between 'imitating' walking and actually walking, because 'walking' is a well defined concept. You can tell if the robot is walking or not by looking at it. You can not, however, tell if a machine is actually conscious or just simulating consciousness - since you can't even tell it for any human being other than yourself.
You mention Searle, in the AI community he is most (in)famous for his "Chinese Room" argument. It's a nice thought experiment that shows how simulated understanding does not necessarily imply real understanding (see also blockhead). The rebuttals offered so far are hardly convincing.
Slashdot Mirror
when the end of the world will be announced on Slashdot, I'll be checking for follow-ups.
Actually it's 4.65%... Btw, that green thingy up there is a caterpillar, not a worm -.-
So go search Google!
Note how the glowing part of the lightsaber casts a shadow on the ground... another great science article by howstuffworks.com!
How about an OS that can't crash?
also let's not forget those poor people (especially geeks in in fashion shops who need to replace those ripped, worn-out jeans because their girlfriend forced them to) who feel uncomfortable in overheated, confined spaces and will grab the first thing they find just to get out...
I currently live in a student residence and we've had the same problems. The solution was indeed to force everyone to have up-to-date virus protection and firewall, failure to comply resulted in unplugging. For those few who really didn't get it done there still is one public linux terminal (pretty slow though), so even those can download and print their lecture slides from time to time:)
You mention Searle, in the AI community he is most (in)famous for his "Chinese Room" argument. It's a nice thought experiment that shows how simulated understanding does not necessarily imply real understanding (see also blockhead). The rebuttals offered so far are hardly convincing.