Animus
Fingers Schaefer
embodiment that characterises it and perhaps identifies it.
Lily Talisker
In biology, it is something that is:
1) able to maintain a constant internal state (homeostasis)
2) able to alter input into energy (metabolism)
3) composed of a single or multiple components working together
(organised)
4) able to increase in size (growth)
5) able to respond to the environment
6) able to adapt to the environment
7) able to reproduce
(For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life)
Therefore current AI is probably able to address 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 (though
perhaps not all in one example). Therefore, it is 4 and 7 that need
addressing to replicate life. But is this the aim of AI?
On Dec 4 2009, 8:27 am, Fingers Schaefer
Fingers Schaefer
A good couple of questions.
I like your definitions and references there is some useful guidance
and material there. The definition is in and of itself a definition of
what constitutes Biological Life as opposed to Life per ce.
Correctly speaking an electronic (or Mechatronic) life form does'nt
have metabolism in the classical biological sense as per the statement
2. It's input is energy (Putting aside an in depth discussion of
entropy etc) which it then uses.
If we change the thinking behind statement 2 to include input to be
stored energy as food, stored energy as electrochemical battery and
also include energy harvested from the environment (solar etc) as an
input. We can see that a biological and non biological organism are
equivalent in that they take in energy in one format and through a
process of conversion (metabolism) use that energy in another format
to achieve work. The metabolic paradigm in each case is quite
different.
Intelligence versus life, It's worth I guess recognising that they two
are quite different items that do have an identifiable relationship.
To answer your question about AI, I feel we need to make a few
statements first about intelligence.
Put simply, my understanding is that:-
A) Intelligence is like quality, in that it is hard to adequately
specify but we all know it when we experience it.
B) Intelligence is an atribute of certain life forms.
C) Intelligence is evidenced by a life forms ability to adapt it's
environment to itself (.
D) There are life forms that arguably have little or no detectable
intelligence.
Given this, I arrive at the conclusion that life exists without
intelligence and intelligence in and of itself is not possible without
life.
Ultimately then if it is possible to create an artificial intelligence
then a life has been created.
Looking at 4 & 7, I think I am going to have to dispute those on a
purely biological basis. A fully grown (Adult) biological organism
isn't without life (Although my kids might suggest that I was).
Similarly a biological organism born to sterility (or becoming
sterile) has no less life than its fertile sibling.
If we look a little closer at 7 and consider this in the context an
intelligent lifeform. An intelligent life form may be able to use it's
intelligence to make itself and other lifeforms reproducible through
third parties or other means. Consider IVF, and Plant Propagation
through taking cuttings.