Interesting discussion, Mike.

How will increases in computational power create a moral code of conduct? Humans have both intellect and will. To act human, it seems we can mistake computational power for intellect, but "will" cannot come from the machine itself, me thinks; thus, it will have to be coded in. Computers and processors are, by nature, reactive. Intelligence infers proactivity, i.e. the ability to form an idea and take an action without an outside stimulus.

Bob mentions creativity as an issue. Where creativity is simply creating a new combination of known things (which isn't isn't creativity at all) it seems advance processors can excel; but how does one teach a computer to take risk (creating a new thing or idea that has never before existed and is therefore unproven or not already provided for in its instruction set)?

BTW, there are some who feel that we never were the smartest inhabitants of the earth.

I believe the parting dolphins said, "So long and thanks for the fish."

Yeah, when I started this thread I was aware of the fact that we may not really be the smartest . . . just the smartest with opposable thumbs.

I don't get the part about dolphins being so smart. They see lots of boats and nets as well as fellow or sister dolphins swept into the nets, yet they still end end up like Charlie the Tuna.

As opposed to humans who never repeat their mistakes??

Sounds like he read H.G. Wells' The Time Machine and is talking about the Morlocks and Eloi.

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They already have. Thus, we have two political parties. Your call on which party represents which branch of the evolutionary tree.

Free advice: Don't never use no machine you can't unplug.

Pilgrim

I think human beings are pretty smart for being so stupid.
Being one of the billions of idiots on this planet, it is my
pleasure and my right to say such stupid things.
Here is one of the big businesses of the future regarding synthetic DNA being hosted by a cell. Pretty soon you will be able to place your order for any specific qualities you would like your baby to have. That to me is scary and not quite sane, but there could be a good application such as creating a DNA module that will monitor and terminate any likely hereditary problems throughout the life of the individual.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10138831.stm

You’d have to have read Douglas Adams.


It probably depends a lot on how we define “smartest.” Humans do a lot of dumb things that are counterproductive to the species that other species do not do. I think we may be the only species ever on the plant that has the ability to render itself extinct.

Artificial Intelligence is already pretty good at doing things that can be quantified faster than humans. And as Mitch points out, augmentation of human physical capabilities, or correction of shortcomings has been around for a long time, and will possibly play a greater role in our futures.

But where humans excel is in the ability to consider, imagine, dream what cannot be quantified/explained in any way. A.I. is exceedingly poor at imagination, love, faith, and similar emotional and illogical trains of thought.

I think our ability to consider what has never been previously considered is what makes us “smart.” And on that front A.I. / computers are exceedingly poor. Computers are very good at taking a human thought from beginning to fruition. But I think they’ll still need that initial thought, that originated with a human, for a long time to come.

But in the bigger picture of course humans will not be the smartest life form on this planet forever. Sooner or later some other species will conquer humans. (Personally the viruses get my vote.) I just don't think a human invention (e.g. computers) will be it because by definition it will have to contain the very human flaws that will allow humans to be conquered.