Re: belief, faith, truth

From: <daddycaylor.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 12:54:42 -0500

Jeanne Houston wrote:
> I am a layperson who reads these discussions out of avid interest,
and I
>hope that someone will answer a question that I would like to ask in
order
>to enhance my own understanding.
> There is an emphasis on AI running through these discussions, yet
you
>seem to delve into very philosophical questions. Are the philosophical
>discussions applicable to the development of AI (i.e., trying to grasp
all
>aspects of the mind of man if you are trying to develop a true copy),
or are
>they only interesting diversions that pop-up from time to time. My
thanks
>to anyone who wishes to respond.
>
>Jeanne Houston

My answer is probably too short, but I want to take the risk of being
misinterpreted in order to be plain:

We can't JUST DO things (like AI). Whenever we DO things, we are
THINKING ABOUT them. I'd venture to say that HOW WE THINK ABOUT THINGS
(e.g. philosophy, epistemology, etc.) is even MORE important that DOING
THINGS (engineering, sales, etc.). That is one way of looking at the
advantage that we humans have over machines. We have the capability to
not just do things, but to know why we are doing them. This runs
counter to the whole PHILOSOPHY (mind you) of modern science, that we
are simply machines, and that there is no WHY. This modern philosophy,
if taken to its extreme, is the death of the humanness.

Tom Caylor
Received on Mon Feb 06 2006 - 12:59:54 PST