Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id EAA06579 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 10 Jan 2002 04:58:17 GMT X-Authentication-Warning: cheetah.nor.com.au: Host 006.analog.ppp.lismore.dataheart.net [202.147.132.6] claimed to be green-machine Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.20020110154859.00702468@pophost.nor.com.au> X-Sender: jeremyb@pophost.nor.com.au X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.1 (32) Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 15:48:59 +1100 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk From: Jeremy Bradley <jeremyb@nor.com.au> Subject: Re: Lamarckian? In-Reply-To: <3C3C2C77.5010709@bioinf.man.ac.uk> References: <AA-0E749BBF44B1874CFFF8651350E0A843-ZZ@maillink1.prodigy.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
You wrote
.....this appeals because we could construct a Darwinian 'learning'
>machine (effectively a sort of neural genetic algorithm) much more
>simply than a Lamarckian version (which must have a facility to learn
>for a start).
Hi all
This sort of sentiment worries me as I see that intelligence, even within
one culture, is subjective. Just think how many times we hear the term
"common sense" used to describe basic understandings within specific
spheres of knowledge. Will your 'learning machine' attempt to create a
homogenous 'right' (no pun intended) form of learning?
I also have problems with notions of 'fitness'. Is fitness might, right,
lucky, devious, savage, egotistic, careless of the ramifications of its
actions - who is to say?
Chomsky says that the Western nations have been successful because they
were able to completely inculcate violence - will that make us 'fit' to
survive. Is a culture that threatens to ruin the habitat which is mutually
owned by the rest of its species 'intelligent' (fit) enough to survive.
Will you impose your version of intelligence on those who already deny that
you have any, or are we to revert to the convert or perish methods of
colonisation?
What meme drives this thought - 'might-is-right'?
Jeremy
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