what am i doing now? trying not to think about smoking.

I think this is why it's been used as an analogy to a conventional computer; because it would require such massive amounts of computing power for a classical silicon-based computer to perform tasks that we take for granted. Robotics is a perfect example of a field that demonstrates this.

Yes, but you would have to program it to be able to associate things with other things in the first place. We already have that ability pretty much from birth. AI is the primary field which demonstrates this concept, I believe.

True. However, to say the capabilities of a "computer" and a human brain are similar would require defining to what extent to compare them. If being compared based on RAW ability, I would say it is possible to compare a pc to a brain. As to programming, yeah the pc drops dead. I guess the big diff would be that biological life has had billions of years to perfect an embedded OS. lol

Yeah, and somehow I don't think our "OS" is even perfect yet...it's still undergoing beta testing and development, LOL

I think another big difference between us and computers is creativity; computers lack the ability to program themselves, without any external influence from humans. Before you argue that things like viruses and metaprograms (programs which modify their own code) are examples of "self-programming", consider the fact that humans had to write the first iteration of the program, thus it's not so much "creativity" as it is "evolution".

And on that note I will gracefully exit left.LOL
The ivy leagues have been debating this ever since computers displaced a large warehouse. I am not even gonna try. anyways, not smoking sucks.

I heard that neural networks have much more brain-like behavior than computers.

You mean like, clustering? Or is there something I'm missing?

Or are you talking about something more analogous to the way Data's "brain" from Star Trek TNG was supposed to work?

*reads Wikipedia article, thoroughly*



Well, that proves it. We're nothing more than complex statistics processors. Free will doesn't exist.

*hides in corner*

(No, really...I feel like sh*t right now...)

EDIT: Okay, maybe I don't feel like sh*t now...I just thought of the fact that emotion is often used in weighing personal decisions, isn't it? And since emotions are (objectively) mostly unpredictable, then free will does exist...?

I'm really confused! I wanna be free!

I've been thinking, and it seems that my above post was probably a little unfounded. I didn't read any of the "see also" links at the bottom of the Wikipedia page, so I don't know much of anything on the topics of neuroscience and related fields...I was just having an emotional panic (which is funny, considering how I mentioned above that emotions are often used in personal decision-making ).

Mostly I'm just afraid to read about this stuff because it seems that the more I read about things like that, the less significant I feel. When I start reading up on things like neural networks and how they seem to be strictly deterministic, and how they make analogies to living brain tissue, I start drawing (probably unfounded) conclusions about how the brain works (i.e. I start thinking "well if these artificial networks are 100% deterministic, then the brain must be too! OMGOMGOMG!" ). To be honest, I think (but I don't know for sure) that we still don't completely know how the brain works; we can only make educated guesses as to what exactly is going on inside our cranium.

Plus, something tells me that the average Joe Schmoe would rather live with a perception of free will (even if it's illusory) than to accept a fully laid-out existence. I know I wouldn't like that kind of existence...it would be like living under a huge dictatorship, and the dictator couldn't be overthrown.

You are weird.

I have decided to download every single piece of Hour of Slack podcast available, for future listening and posterity.

O_o Why?? Just because I happen to not like the idea of a pre-destined fate? Because I believe that you can make up the future as you go? Seems to me that's what most people would want...

Would you like it if you had no real choice in any matter? If the concept of "choice" were nothing more than a mere illusion?

(I get the feeling I should probably stop posting here, as I could be drawing myself into a flamewar...)

Don't worry, while any one existence in the multiverse might be predefined, there are infinite existences (according to the theory that is) that allow for each and every choice and outcome. More choices than you could ever really want if you look at it that way!

And that's much like the way I choose to look at it. I think that determinism and freedom of will can coexist, but I won't elaborate on the reasons here, as I've had enough deep-talk for today.

Now let's just go ahead and relax, and get back to the regularly scheduled randomness and pointlessness!