But science fictional AIs, e.g., in Poul Anderson's Harvest of Stars Tetralogy and Genesis, are conscious. Sometimes Anderson refers, inappropriately I think, to consciousness-level computers. At other times, he recognizes that a conscious artifact would have to be (something like) an artificial neural network, not a computer. Meanwhile, in the real world, artificial intelligence advances without becoming conscious. The sf identification of AI with consciousness, indeed with superhuman consciousness, seems to be a mistake.
2 comments:
The same result can have different causes. Wheels and legs will both move mass, but legs are not wheels.
Kaor, Paul!
While I too am skeptical of "artificial intelligence" become CONSCIOUS and self aware, I enjoyed reading such speculations when done well, such as in Poul Anderson's HARVEST OF STARS books.
And the idea of computerized self driving cars really does interest me as a real advance in that rather boring, late 19th century technology (altho I still hanker for Andersonisan "air cars" seen in ENSIGN FLANDRY). Self driving cars means even blind persons could now have cars--the computer would drive the cars to where they wanted to go.
Sean
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