Two simple questions

[Fra.Morelia]

These questions were, to the best of my knowledge, origianlly put form by Peter Carroll.
1)Try to specify exactly and in detail any human functions that a computer/machine could not carry out even in principle.
2)Try to explain exactly and in detail what human beings mean when they use the word spirituality.
have fun.

 

[dan]

1) -Utilize free will
-Think
-Reproduce
-Feel emotion
-Appreciate beauty

2) The idea and attitude that the world, our actions and their consequences are all part of an elaborate, transcendent consciousness or will (be it sentient or not) that is the driving force behind existence; and behavior that reflects a confidence or faith in the omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence and benevolence of this force.

 

[Fra.Morelia]

Hm... i agree with appreciate beauty. As for reproduce, in a microcasm they can: i.e. computer viruses. It is only via information, but it is reproduction. The key one I found was Growth.
If science were advanced enough, they could be programmed with emotion. Given an electronic coding as it were, that makes them think they feel something. Thus they would feel in a fashion that is disturbingly similar to our own manner of biochemical reaction.
As far as thinking, that is an only for now type statement. As we creep up on true AI, I shudder to think about the Computers Rights movement that will doubtlessly spring up. And would it really be silly, if the computers actually came toself awareness?
They can do, in a fashion, most things that we can do, or will likely be able to do so. They even eat/excrete. Think about the fuel/exhaust system in a car for that one.
It seems to me they mainly simply cannot grow. Hell, on some assembly lines you even have machines building their own type of machine.
The spirituality answer was most impressive, Dan. I really liked it , tho on a semantics level, one could disagree with the belief in it's benevolence.
I do not believe these to be unanswerable, nor even stumpers. Just thought provokers. Thanks for your time, dan.

 

[dan]

Hey, thank you. They were stimulating questions.

 

[quick]

These questions were, to the best of my knowledge, origianlly put form by Peter Carroll.
1)Try to specify exactly and in detail any human functions that a computer/machine could not carry out even in principle.
2)Try to explain exactly and in detail what human beings mean when they use the word spirituality.
have fun.

1) Worship

2) That which is non-material

 

[Pah]

Alan Turing's idea was to create a machine that digitized thought. Robotics seeks to place the thought process into a machine not bound to a particular place and to acquire input from its enviroment (rather than being feed facts by man it will operate only on rules). The human brain can be said to to a massively massive parallel processor which draws its rules from exerience.

The current state of the art, I believe, is on track to achieve the implementation of just that goal. It, of course, would be atheistic unless tampered with for it could not choose what spiritual view to incorporate.

I don't think spirituality is a given in all humankind nor need it be present at all.

 

[Fra.Morelia]

So, quick, you are saying we could not program a sufficiently advanced computer to worship? Would it be vastly different than a human programmed since birth to worship?
What is that which is nonmaterial? What does spirituality have to do with the nonmaterial?
They are solid answers, I am just interested in your take on them. I guess I would like a little more explenation. Thanks, quick.
And, Pah, good stuff as well, thanks for your time.