But the fact that computers “think” very differently than our brains do actually gives them an advantage when it comes to tasks like number crunching, while making them decidedly primitive in other areas, such as understanding human speech or learning from experience.Cognitive learning theory pdf if scientists want to simulate a brain that can match human intelligence, let alone eclipse it, they may have to start with better building blocks—computer chips inspired by our brains.Cognitive learning theory pdf

Traditionally, artificial neural networks have been implemented with software. While this gets at algorithms that may resemble the ones in biological nervous systems, it does so without the advantages of the physical implementation of those systems.Cognitive learning theory pdf essentially it’s emulating that hardware (wetware?), which in computing has always come with a performance hit, with the magnitude of the hit usually corresponding to just how different the hardware architectures are, and modern chips and nervous systems are very different.Cognitive learning theory pdf

There’s a lot of mystique associated with neural networks. But it’s worth remembering that a neural network is basically a crowd sourcing strategy.Cognitive learning theory pdf instead of having one sophisticated and high performing processor, or a few of them, like the ones in modern commercial computers, the strategy involves having large numbers, millions or billions, of relatively simple processors, the neurons.Cognitive learning theory pdf

Neuromorphic computing is moving the actual hardware closer to the structure used in nervous systems. I’d always known about the performance advantages that might bring, but apparently a lot of the power efficiency of the brain (which operates on about 20 watts) comes down to its analog features, and neuromorphic computing, by adopting hybrid analog-digital structures, appears to be reaping many of those benefits.Cognitive learning theory pdf

I’ve written before about moore’s law petering out, and that further progress in computing will require innovative architectural changes for us to continue seeing progress.Cognitive learning theory pdf I find it heartening that this kind of research is happening. Too much of the industry seems caught up in the quantum computing hype, but this line of inquiry may yield results much sooner.Cognitive learning theory pdf

I think if the chinese room is able to answer questions about the house it grew in in china, answering questions about particular details that come up during the discussion, then within its lookup tables, it has a model of that house, and of growing up in china.Cognitive learning theory pdf it might be a hopelessly inefficient, scattered, and brute force model, but it would have to be there. Likewise, if it could describe its inner experience at length, again successfully answering questions about it, the same would apply. (the models might be utterly fake, or derived from an actual chinese native’s memories, but once they’re there, they’re there.)

cognitive learning theory pdf

Of course, one of my beefs with the chinese room and the lookup table is that they’re a hopelessly ridiculous example. Like many philosophical thought experiments, it’s a rorschach test for people to draw out their preferred conclusions.Cognitive learning theory pdf any real interaction would require years. The only way to reduce the time is to automate the man’s part, which to me obviates the point searle was trying to make.Cognitive learning theory pdf

I think a zombie (philosophical or behavioral) is too sophisticated for us to simply say it’s using external models. You’re right, I do think that description pertains to a straightforward thermostat.Cognitive learning theory pdf but the degrees of freedom a zombie would have to operate in require, I think, that it have its own models. That might not be true for a zombie that only works momentarily, but for one to work for extended periods of time, I can’t see how it can function without the models in one form or another.Cognitive learning theory pdf

Well, it does seem rather trivial to write a program that can output a statement that it’s conscious. I think it actually needs to have internal data about it being conscious that leads to its statements.Cognitive learning theory pdf although if you explore this long enough, I don’t know that you’ll ever find a clean boundary. Which is the problem. Much of this stuff lacks clear objective boundaries.Cognitive learning theory pdf

It can be really humbling to consider the sorts of things that life produces versus the sorts of things that we produce. For example, consider the biology by which life produces flowers.Cognitive learning theory pdf might we ever produce something that’s very much like an organic flower? Of course we won’t. Our machines are many many orders less complex than the sorts of machines associated with life.Cognitive learning theory pdf sure we can play with biology, though we don’t have any very similar examples to provide in reverse. Our stuff simply doesn’t go that deep.

Cognitive learning theory pdf

I don’t know how they came up with the following estimation, though to me it does seem appropriate. With a decade of work 500 billion neurons were computationally simulated (as compared to the mere 85 billion we have), and even still this computer ran 1500 times slower than the 20 watt human brain.Cognitive learning theory pdf apparently to get it to our speed would require the power of six hoover dams. Sure. And mind you that this would just be a standard non-conscious computer, or not anything like “human”.Cognitive learning theory pdf

It’s still unclear whether replicating human intelligence is just a matter of building larger and more detailed models of the brain. “we just don’t know if the way that we’re thinking about the brain is somehow fundamentally flawed,” says eliasmith.Cognitive learning theory pdf “we won’t know how far we can get until we have better hardware that can run these things in real time with hundreds of millions of neurons,” he says.Cognitive learning theory pdf “that’s what I think neuro­morphics will help us achieve.”

Indeed! Scale up your machines and acquire vast quantities of electricity for experimental purposes.Cognitive learning theory pdf prove to yourselves whether or not you’re on the wrong track that I believe you to be on. (is this not a bit like panpsychism — the more “computation”, the more “human”?) if that standard approach doesn’t quite seem to pan out however, note that I’ll be standing by with my dual computers model for the consideration of all.Cognitive learning theory pdf the first computer here runs on the basis of neuronal dynamics. The second computer here runs on the basis of sentience.

Well I don’t consider biological systems so much “only complex”, but rather “insanely complex”.Cognitive learning theory pdf and this begins at a tiny genetic scale that’s difficult for us to work with. Imagine us creating a system of microscopic inorganic “robots” that feed upon nature and themselves and so are able to evolve for billions of years.Cognitive learning theory pdf strangely enough “the blind watchmaker” is able to create life, while “the sighted watchmaker” is not. Nature has tools at its disposal which we simply never will.Cognitive learning theory pdf

On people building extremely advanced parallel and analog computational systems, yes, that would be the first computer that isn’t conscious. Given my theory it doesn’t just “get conscious” with more computational power.Cognitive learning theory pdf and it’s certainly not going to do everything that the natural kind does simply by means of hope. It’s got to be built in the proper way. I don’t claim to know the “how” of that, but rather the “what” of it.Cognitive learning theory pdf even if we never grasp how to produce phenomenal experience, a good “what” explanation should help sciences like psychology tremendously.

Consciousness can exist as an output of a non-conscious computer.Cognitive learning theory pdf while our non-conscious computers happen to be driven to function on the basis of electricity, any conscious computer will be driven to function on the basis of sentience. (this is a punishment/ reward dynamic which fosters agency and thus autonomy.) your mission is to figure out how to build a non-conscious computer which outputs sentience in the quest to develop a functional form of consciousness, or the second form of computer by which each of you are experiencing existence right now.Cognitive learning theory pdf

Here’s the essential conundrum: even if you do somehow produce sentience, you shouldn’t know that you have because the thusly created conscious entity shouldn’t be able to tell you.Cognitive learning theory pdf feelings seem inherently private. As evidence you’d have to give this conscious entity an output mechanism from which to halt bad feelings or continue good feelings.Cognitive learning theory pdf that should be challenging to rig up however since you shouldn’t know what it is in this system that will end up feeling, should anything do so.Cognitive learning theory pdf