Moravec's Paradox

by Coded Logic 3 Replies latest social current

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  Coded Logic

  This seems to be yet another nail in the coffin for creationist arguments. The reason humans are intelligent isn't because we need brains capable of appreciating "gods creation". Rather, it's a side effect of needing large amounts of computational power for our highly refined motor skills. Things like mathematics, philosophy, music, etc. are, on many levels, much simpler than the complex tasks of climbing a tree or opening a door. Recent developments in robotics has forced us to realize this. Consider Movec's Paradox:

  Moravec's paradox is the discovery by artificial intelligence and robotics researchers that, contrary to traditional assumptions, high-level reasoning requires very little computation, but low-level sensorimotor skills require enormous computational resources. The principle was articulated by Hans Moravec, Rodney Brooks, Marvin Minsky and others in the 1980s. As Moravec writes, "it is comparatively easy to make computers exhibit adult level performance on intelligence tests or playing checkers, and difficult or impossible to give them the skills of a one-year-old when it comes to perception and mobility."[1]
  Similarly, Marvin Minsky emphasized that the most difficult human skills to reverse engineer are those that are unconscious. "In general, we're least aware of what our minds do best," he wrote, and added "we're more aware of simple processes that don't work well than of complex ones that work flawlessly."
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  Outahere

  Rather, it's a side effect of needing large amounts of computational power for our highly refined motor skills.
  

  Many lower animals (with lots less "computational power") are capable of feats that require excellent motor control. They don't necessarily qualify as "intelligent" in the human sense. And the motor control cortex of the human brain is only a small part of the total structure.

  "it is comparatively easy to make computers exhibit adult level performance on intelligence tests or playing checkers, and difficult or impossible to give them the skills of a one-year-old when it comes to perception and mobility."
  

  Because you can't work on a solution if you don't understand the problem. You can't code what you can't codify. Much of what we are able to do depends o unconscious knowledge that's difficult to codify (since we do not consciously execute an algorithm).

  Polanyi: We know more than we can tell

  http://infed.org/mobi/michael-polanyi-and-tacit-knowledge/

  Which has lately been called a paradox:

  http://philosophicaldisquisitions.blogspot.com/2015/10/polanyis-paradox-will-humans-maintain.html
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  Coded Logic

  you can't work on a solution if you don't understand the problem. You can't code what you can't codify.

  This may well be true - but's it's not the case when it comes to mobility. The problem is well understood. It just takes an incredible amount of processing power to maintain balance and and move limbs and digits in the way you want to.
  

  Consider a relatively simple task - like picking up a glass of water. This requires the use of our primary motor cortex, our supplementary motor cortex, our premotor cortex, our posterior parietal cortex, and our occipital lobe. This over half of our brain.

  And the parts of our brain that we use for things like mathematics, philosophy and other higher reasoning endeavors are very small and non-specialized.

  Right now, on this planet we're the only species capable of preforming abstractions like writing poetry. But there's no reason to think that in a million years other species like bonobos, corvids, or octopods wont also be composing haikus. All species are transitory. And just because no other species are on our level yet doesn't mean they never will be.

  Though I'm sure by then creationist will have switched their arguments from "mankind is gods special creation" to "god wants all species to appreciate his creation"
  
  
  
  
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  Outahere

  Consider a relatively simple task - like picking up a glass of water. This requires the use of our primary motor cortex, our supplementary motor cortex, our premotor cortex, our posterior parietal cortex, and our occipital lobe. This over half of our brain.
  

  A finch can pick up a piece of straw and weave it into a nest with a brain smaller than the tip of your small finger.

  Though I'm sure by then creationist will have switched their arguments from "mankind is gods special creation" to "god wants all species to appreciate his creation"
  

  They could be at our level at some point, but considering, after nearly 4 billion years, that technological life has only happened once, it is highly highly unlikely.

  Especially not octopi and corvids. They won't be composing haikus in a million years no matter what.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypEaGQb6dJk