InterestIng experiment - but it raises some ethical questions

[Swin]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

I don't think he can paul

You not listened to MC Hawking - Gangsta Rapper?

Top quality funny

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

This is a very philosophical thread........bit Platonian, I think therefore I am!

But, how would you define conciousness? Is conciousness the thinking process or is would you say it had acheived a level of conciousness if it was able to function?

Who should define consciousness - you all may yet be figments of my imagination. If I think I have consciousness, it could be argued that someone elses subjective judgement of whether I have attained consciousness is irrelevent.

Though another thought concerning AI occurs - if an AI is created and it attains consciousness - who "owns" it? The people that devloped it? Can you copyright a soul (for want of a more fitting word without religious connotations)?

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

This is a very philosophical thread........bit Platonian, I think therefore I am!

But, how would you define conciousness? Is conciousness the thinking process or is would you say it had acheived a level of conciousness if it was able to function?

oh no, how longs it going to be before someone mentioned the "brain in the vat" theory? think i might watch the matrix tonight.....

AI, my speciality.

The definition of conscious, is awareness: having knowledge of (surroundings especially, usually self too).

On this scale, plants are conscious, as they adapt to their environment, and when you cut a leaf off, that leaf will re-grow, and the plant will actually prioritise healing pretty effectively.

I can write applications that any layman would perceive as being aware of it's environment, but it's entirely reactionary.

That's how I see these cells, they react to their environment, nothing more. To my knowledge, they haven't defined a priority to their actions, and that's considered the first step to being self aware.

Originally Posted by Swin

quote
COMPUTER viruses should be treated as a life form, Stephen Hawking, the British physicist and leading theorist on the origins of the Universe, has told an audience of computer enthusiasts in the United States.
In a speech on the nature of life, Professor Hawking said computer viruses fit standard definitions of living systems, even though they have no metabolism of their own. The computer virus exploits the metabolism of the host computer it infects, and becomes a parasite. This parasitic existence is a key characteristic of biological viruses, as is the ability to replicate only inside the ...
unquote

This quote is from encyclopedia.com

If thats the case the common cold, Flu and even HIV could be classed as life forms and allowed to exist, I dont think that could be good at all.

Originally Posted by the_runt69

I dont think that could be good at all.

Ahh but being human, as these germs affect you, you're not an impartial observer!

From the germ's perspective it may be living off us like we're living off the earth - it may not think it's doing anything wrong.

Originally Posted by Kinvig

Ahh but being human, as these germs affect you, you're not an impartial observer!

From the germ's perspective it may be living off us like we're living off the earth - it may not think it's doing anything wrong.

Doesnt stop us trying to wipe them out though

This could get deep....and go on forever!