This is probably just a mindless rant, but it may be that we are no more than the emergent behaviour of a bunch of cells. After all, "alive" is something that is only defined by the human mind. There is no such physical concept; on the molecular level everything is dead. A piece of metal is made up of atoms, many of them the same as those that make up the human body; what is the difference between the two? If an individual atom is dead, a human who is made entirely of atoms cannot be alive either. So the idea of life is not a purely physical concept. If it were, the definition would be physical, there would be "live" atoms and "dead" atoms. The idea of life is an abstraction which the human mind uses to interpret the physical world.
(Cyclopes rapidly descends into a half drooling state of philosophical abstraction.) If the state of being alive is a construct of the human mind, the internet may be alive. Eventually humans may accept the fact that computers can think and that networks are organisms, at that point they will be living things. Until then computers are just so much silicon and gray plastic.
This demonstrates the breaking down of barriers between what is real in terms of physical existence in its traditional forms and what is virtual. The whole robotic snake concept is a metaphor of the state of modern technology. Here we have technology taking the form of a serpent and demonstrating the principle that technology may "bite back." This may even have religious connections to the original sin. Nobody tell Jon Katz about this, please.
As I write this, I see someone suggesting we shut up, or not write comments.
This demonstrates exactly what he is attacking. As long as people can't speak without the fear of offending others, we aren't truly free. Not that jflynn is going to be inhibited by the abuse he gets, but a more timid person with ideas as or more worthwhile might be.
Let the posters write. Filter them, or turn your eyes if you think it worthless. You at worst harm yourself that way.
Inhibiting free discussion harms everyone else's right to be exposed to ideas they may find more valuable than you.
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In class today we learned about recursive algorithms. These are very interesting but rather counter-intuitive. The above, however, is a good allegory for people without technical backgrounds. The basic idea is that an algorithm invoke itself. When there is no limiting factor the recursion will continue until the system crashes (unless one has protected memory, of course.)
I invite critiques of my analysis, but please make them linear.
Slashdot Mirror
This is probably just a mindless rant, but it may be that we are no more than the emergent behaviour of a bunch of cells. After all, "alive" is something that is only defined by the human mind. There is no such physical concept; on the molecular level everything is dead. A piece of metal is made up of atoms, many of them the same as those that make up the human body; what is the difference between the two? If an individual atom is dead, a human who is made entirely of atoms cannot be alive either. So the idea of life is not a purely physical concept. If it were, the definition would be physical, there would be "live" atoms and "dead" atoms. The idea of life is an abstraction which the human mind uses to interpret the physical world.
(Cyclopes rapidly descends into a half drooling state of philosophical abstraction.) If the state of being alive is a construct of the human mind, the internet may be alive. Eventually humans may accept the fact that computers can think and that networks are organisms, at that point they will be living things. Until then computers are just so much silicon and gray plastic.
Without getting into too much...detail, I'd have to say that most of your ideas wouldn't work.
Surveillance
If I see a snake running around anywhere, especially where secret transactions are going on, I'm going to be suspicous.
Collapsed Building Rescue
Already been done, only better because it's too expensive to make a cool looking rescue tool.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Cobra style, huh?
Toys are the only application.
This demonstrates the breaking down of barriers between what is real in terms of physical existence in its traditional forms and what is virtual. The whole robotic snake concept is a metaphor of the state of modern technology. Here we have technology taking the form of a serpent and demonstrating the principle that technology may "bite back." This may even have religious connections to the original sin. Nobody tell Jon Katz about this, please.
As I write this, I see someone suggesting we shut up, or not write comments.
This demonstrates exactly what he is attacking. As long as people can't speak without the fear of offending others, we aren't truly free. Not that jflynn is going to be inhibited by the abuse he gets, but a more timid person with ideas as or more worthwhile might be.
Let the posters write. Filter them, or turn your eyes if you think it worthless. You at worst harm yourself that way.
Inhibiting free discussion harms everyone else's right to be exposed to ideas they may find more valuable than you.
-----In class today we learned about recursive algorithms. These are very interesting but rather counter-intuitive. The above, however, is a good allegory for people without technical backgrounds. The basic idea is that an algorithm invoke itself. When there is no limiting factor the recursion will continue until the system crashes (unless one has protected memory, of course.)
I invite critiques of my analysis, but please make them linear.