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Self-Assembled,
Deterministic Carbon Nanotube Wiring Networks
Diehl,
Michael R., et al, "Self-Assembled, Deterministic Carbon
Nanotube Wiring Networks." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.,
2002.
Web
Site
A room-temperature, minimal-lithography technique for
chemically assembling small deterministic crossbars of
SWNT ropes. |
Spintronics
Awschalom,David
D., Flatt�, Michael E. and Samarth, Nitin. 2002. "Spintronics",
Scientific American. June. pp 67-73.
Web
Site
From Scientific American, "Microelectronic devices that
function by using the spin of the electron are a nascent
multibillion dollar industy - and may lead to quantum
microchips." |
The
Lives and Death of Moore's Law
Tuomi,
Ilkka, "The Lives and Death of Moore's Law." First
Monday, November 2002.
Web
Site
Reviews the various interpretations of Moore's Law and
empirical evidence that could support them, and concludes
that as semiconductors are becoming important in economy
and society, Moore's Law is now becoming an increasingly
misleading predictor of future developments. |
Moore's
Law
Silicon:
Moore's Law. Intel Corp. 2003.
Web
Site
Chart showing number of transistors for Intel processors,
demonstrating Moore's Law |
Fate
of Moore's Law tops ISSCC agenda
Ohr,
Stephan, "Fate of Moore's Law tops ISSCC agenda." EE
Times, February 9, 2003.
Web
Site
Moore surveys the history and future of his eponymous
1967 rule of thumb for the 50th convocation of the International
Solid-State Circuits Conference. |
No
Exponential is Forever … but We Can Delay ‘Forever’
Moore,
Gordon, No Exponential is Forever…but We Can
Delay ‘Forever,' , slideshow presentation
Web
Site
Graphics and charts demonstrating Moore's Law.
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What
Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts: Singularity
and its Meanings
Steffen,
Alex, "What Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts:
Singularity and its Meanings," Whole Earth, Spring
2003.
Web
Site
Overview of the issues surrounding the approaching Singularity.
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What
Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts: Singularity
and its Meanings (Part 2)
Steffen,
Alex, "What Happens When Technology Zooms Off the Charts:
Singularity and its Meanings," Whole Earth, Spring
2003.
Web
Site
Overview of the issues relevant to the approaching Singularity.
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Molecular
Compasses and Gyroscopes with Polar Rotors: Synthesis
and Characterization of Crystalline Forms
Dominguez,
Zaira, et al, "Molecular Compasses and Gyroscopes with
Polar Rotors: Synthesis and Characterization of Crystalline
Forms." J. AM. CHEM. SOC., March 21, 2003.
Highly convergent synthesis and solid-state characterization
of six crystalline "molecular compasses." |
Cramming
more components onto integrated circuits
Moore,
Gordon, "Cramming more components onto integrated circuits."
Electronics, April 19, 1965.
Web
Site
Moore peers into the future and predicts that integrated
circuits will lead to such wonders as home computers.
|
Long-Term
Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor Industry
Goodall,
Randal, "Long-Term Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor
Industry." American Electrochemical Society Semiconductor
Silicon 2002 Proceedings, May 2002.
In addition to the well-known productivity measure, $/transistor,
other functional cost metrics are described that play
a role in the semiconductor industry’s continued
success. |
Long-Term
Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor Industry
Goodall,
Randal, "Long-Term Productivity Mechanisms of the Semiconductor
Industry," American Electrochemical Society Semiconductor
Silicon 2002 Proceedings, May 2002.
Two charts: "Speed history of microprocessors" and "Bit
changes per second trend." |
Computing's
Big Shift: Flexibility in the Chips
Markoff,
John, "Computing's Big Shift: Flexibility in the Chips."
New York Times, June 16, 2003.
Web
Site
The new adaptive paradigm will allow for faster/lower
power/lighter/smaller/cheaper multipurpose chips and faster
design cycles. |
Construction
bugs find tiny work
Pearson,
Helen. "Construction bugs find tiny work." Nature,
July 11, 2003.
Web
Site
Severed bacterial arms do nanoscale building. |
International
Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, 2002 Update
"International
Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, 2002 Update," ITRS
Web
Site
Predicts the main trends in the semiconductor industry
spanning across 15 years in the future. |
Darpa
head expresses skepticism about quantum computing
Wilson,
Ron, "Darpa head expresses skepticism about quantum computing."
EE Times, August 20, 2003.
Web
Site
Following the Moore's Law curve toward an eventual physics-induced
train wreck somewhere near 25 nm, Leheny forecast that
the computing power on a single die would approach that
of the largest "gymnasium-sized machines" available today.
Noting that IBM's most recent supercomputer had defeated
chess masters, he suggested that before the end of scaling
single chips would emerge that would be capable of something
approaching human thought. |
Expanding
Moore's Law, The Exponential Opportunity
Moore,
Gordon, Expanding Moore's Law, The Exponential Opportunity,
Intel, Fall 2002 update.
Web
Site
Good graphics and charts demonstrating Moore's Law.
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50
Years of Army Computing: From ENIAC to MSRC
Bergin,
Thomas, ed., "50 Years of Army Computing: From ENIAC to
MSRC,"Army Research Laboratory and the U.S. Army Ordnance
Center & School, September 2000.
Web
Site
Historical overview of Army computing efforts beginning
with ENIAC. |
IT
Markets: Success to Succession
Wright,
Chris, and Dawood, Issam, "IT Markets: Success to Succession,"
Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada, September
24, 2003.
The first 50 years of the Information Age are separated
into the Hardware and Software Micro-ages. It is suggested
that the dawning Wetware Micro-age (i.e. user training
oriented) will profoundly affect information markets and
practises. |
Towards
the National Virtual Observatory
"Towards
the National Virtual Observatory," National Virtual Observatory
Science Definition Team Report, April, 2002
The Virtual Observatory concept represents an organized,
coherent approach to the transition to a new, information-rich
astronomy for the 21st century. |
Exponential
or asymptotic?
Hutchinson,
Martin, "Exponential or asymptotic?," Bear's Lair,
July 8, 2002.
Web
Site
The author asserts that the United States is today primarily
an asymptotically growing economy. |
Internet
Data Traffic
Internet
traffic growth: Sources and implications, A. M. Odlyzko.
Bradbury, Robert, "Optical Transmission Systems and Equipment
for WDM Networking II," B. B. Dingel, W. Weiershausen,
A. K. Dutta, and K.-I. Sato, eds., Proc. SPIE,,
vol. 5247, 2003,
Traffic on Internet backbones in U.S.. For each year,
shows estimated traffic in terabytes during December of
that year. |
Moore’s
Law Technology and Economics
Chen,
Mung. Moore’s Law Technology and Economics. PowerPoint
presentation. Intel Corp. 2003.
PowerPoint presentation by Mung Chen, Manager, New Tech
Planning, Technology Manufacturing Group, Intel 6/29/03
|
Transcending
Moore's Law with Molecular Electronics and Nanotech
Jurvetson,
Steve, "Transcending Moore's Law with Molecular Electronics
and Nanotech" Nanotechnology Law & Business,
March 2004
Web
Site
Nanotechnology is the next great technology wave and the
next phase of Moore’s Law, and a great time to invest
in startups. |
| LIMITS:
LIMITS OF COMPUTATION |
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Matrioshka
Brain Home Page
Bradbury,
R. J., "Matrioshka Brain Home Page" (1998).
Web
Site
Bradbury references a number of papers authored by himself
and others related to the limits on solar system sized
computers and some ultimate computing limits. |
The
Physics of Information Procssing Superobjects: Daily Life
Among the Jupiter Brains
Sandberg,
A., "The Physics of Information Procssing Superobjects:
Daily Life Among the Jupiter Brains", Journal of Evolution
and Technology, Vol. 5, December 22, 1999
Web
Site
Dr. Sandberg discusses some of the most powerful computing
structures that can be imagined and some of the limits
that the laws of physics place on their computational
capabilities. |
Blue
Gene Project Update
Blue
Gene Project Team, "Blue Gene Project Update", IBM, January
2002
Web
Site
PDF document that briefly describes IBM's Blue Gene architectures
and there importance to various aspects of scientific
work. |
IBM
details Blue Gene supercomputer
Shankland,
S. "IBM details Blue Gene supercomputer", CNET news.com,
May 2003
Web
Site
Details of the plans IBM has for building a computer (Blue
Gene/L) to attain 180 to 360 teraflops by the end of 2004.
Briefly mentions Blue Gene/P - a petaflop computer.
|
Irreversibility
and Heat Generation in the Computing Process
Landauer,
R. "Irreversibility and Heat Generation in the Computing
Process, "IBM Journal", pp 183-191 (July, 1961).
Discussion about the fundamental limits that irreversible
computing and heat generation it causes (by erasing bits)
place on speed and random access times. |
The
Fundamental Physical Limits of Computation
Bennet,
C. H., Landauer, R., "The Fundamental Physical Limits
of Computation", Scientific American Vol. 253 pp
48-56 (July 1985).
Web
Site
Discusses some of the fundamental limits on computational
capacity. |
Of
Chemistry, Love, and Nanobots
Smalley,
Richard, "Of Chemistry, Love, and Nanobots," Scientific
American, September, 2001
How soon will we see the nanometer-scale robots envisaged
by K. Eric Drexler and other molecular nanotechologists?
The simple answer is never. |
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Sustainable
Energy - Uranium, Electricity and Greenhouse
Uranium
Information Center, Ltd, "Sustainable Energy - Uranium,
Electricity and Greenhouse", (June 2001).
Web
Site
A brief summary of greenhouse gases, world energy usage
and why switching to uranium as a greater source for our
energy needs would be useful |
Nanotechnology,
S&T Workforce, Energy & Prosperity
Smalley,
Richard E., Ph.D., Nanotechnology, S&T Workforce,
Energy & Prosperity, Nanotechnology Roundtable and
Work Plan Discussion, President's Council of Advisors
on Science and Technology, March 3, 2003
Web
Site
Slides cover population growth, GDP, and energy supply
and demand forecasts. |
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How
Long Before Superintelligence?
Web
Site
This
paper outlines the case for believing that we will have
superhuman artificial intelligence within this century.
It looks at different estimates of the processing power
of the human brain; how long it will take until computer
hardware achieve a similar performance; ways of creating
the software through bottom-up approaches like the one
used by biological brains; how difficult it will be neuroscience
figure out enough about how brains work to make this approach
work; and how fast we can expect superintelligence to
be developed once there is human-level artificial intelligence.
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When
Machines Outsmart Humans
Web
Site
Artificial
intelligence is a possibility that should not be ignored
in any serious thinking about the world in 2050. This
article outlines the case for thinking that human-level
machine intelligence might well be appear in that time
frame. It then explains four immediate consequences of
such a development, and argues that machine intelligence
would have a revolutionary impact on a wide range of the
social, political, economic, commercial, technological,
scientific and environmental issues that humanity will
face in the next century. |
Existential
Risks: Analyzing Human Extinction Scenarios and Related
Hazards
Web
Site
Nick
Bostrom defines a new category of risks that could threaten
humanity and intelligent life with extinction: existential
risks. The future could be a dangerous place indeed.
|
AI
and Sci-Fi: My, Oh, My!
Web
Site
A
lot of science fiction has been exploring lately the concept
of uploading consciousness as the next, and final, step
in our evolution, says SF writer Robert Sawyer, who reveals
the real meaning of the film 2001: the ultimate fate of
biological life forms is to be replaced by their AIs.
Paging Bill Joy… |
Human
Beings as Chaotic Systems
Ives,
Crystal. "Humans Beings as Chaotic Systems." Physics.orst.edu,
NO DATE.
Web
Site
One of the most commonly used metaphors in our society
is the human body as a machine. At lunch we "fill our
tanks" to "keep our motors running." Our hearts beat like
"clockwork." A complex problem sets our "gears turning."
Is the body simply a machine, as our reductionist tradition
and modern language implies? Can we view ourselves as
a conglomeration of replaceable "parts"? Discoveries in
chaos theory are leading scientists to believe that this
is not the case. The intricacies of the human body have
amazed scientists for generations. Innumerable, entwined
feedback loops regulate our internal processes, keeping
us within the narrow bounds needed for survival. Despite
this regulation, our systems are aperiodic and unpredictable
in the long term. We are incredibly ordered on several
scales of magnitude, but irregularly so. Our bodies conform
to a set of non-linear, dynamic rules. The human body
is not a simple machine, but an amazingly complex chaotic
system. |
Genetic
Algorithms
Holland,
John H. "Genetic Algorithms." Columbia University, Graduate
School of Architecture, Undated.
Web
Site
The creator of Genetic Algorithms, John Holland, explains
how they work and the unexpected behaviors and results
that can emerge. |
Minds,
Machines and Godel
Lucas,
J.R. “Minds, Machines and Godel”, Philosophy,
Vol. 36, 1961 (Essay quoted in the 20th anniversary edition
of GEB, p. 388-389. The last three pages of the chapter
entitled, “Minds and Thoughts.”)
Web
Site
The central point among all of the many points this essay
makes relates to something Turing said about machine intelligence:
Self awareness may be a matter of complexity. Current
machines may not be able to "close the loop" and reflect
upon their own "thinking" because that would require adding
another part to the machine to do the reflection and then
another part to reflect on the reflection and so on. This
isn't the case with us. We reflect upon our own reflections
without, apparently, adding any additional hardware. We
close the loop. But we may be able to close the loop because
of the intense complexity of the brain that results in
an emergent behavior that we don't yet understand. The
essay also touches upon the question at the heart of Strong
AI: Can a machine attain the same capability. Lucas doesn't
conclusively prove anything in this passage, but he rasises
intriguing questions. |
Pigs
In Cyberspace
Moravec,
Hans. "Pigs in Cyberspace." Dutch Transhumanist Society,
May 1992.
Web
Site
A far-flung look into the distant future, how it might
unfold and the place artificial intelligence will play
in it. |
Will
Robots Inherit the Earth?
Minsky,
Marvin. "Will Robots Inherit the Earth?." Scientific
American, October 1994.
Web
Site
Everyone wants wisdom and wealth. Nevertheless, our health
often gives out before we achieve them. To lengthen our
lives, and improve our minds, in the future we will need
to change our our bodies and brains. To that end, we first
must consider how normal Darwinian evolution brought us
to where we are. Then we must imagine ways in which future
replacements for worn body parts might solve most problems
of failing health. We must then invent strategies to augment
our brains and gain greater wisdom. Eventually we will
entirely replace our brains -- using nanotechnology. Once
delivered from the limitations of biology, we will be
able to decide the length of our lives--with the option
of immortality-- and choose among other, unimagined capabilities
as well. -- Marvin Minsky |
When
Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain
Moravec,
Hans. "When Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain."
Journal of Evolution and Technology, Vol.1. 1998.
Web
Site
Hans Moravec explains what he feels it takes for a machine
to be as intelligent as we are, and why. |
Artifical
Voice System Says Hello
Graham-Rowe,
D. "Artificial Voice System Says Hello." NewScientist.com,
May 2, 2001.
Web
Site
Researcher Hideyuki Sawada at Japan's Kagawa University
is attempting to recreate the physical mechanisms for
the way humans talk so that machines will sound and speak
more naturally. His system mimics a human lung using an
air tank which forces air into a plastic voice-box chamber,
where it makes rubber "vocal cords" vibrate (see article's
diagram). The basic sounds generated in the voice box
are then fed to a flexible tube that imitates a human
vocal tract. From the article: "The sound this produces
depends on the speed of the airflow, the tension of the
rubber vocal cord and the shape of the vocal tract's cross-section.
The tract is made from a flexible silicone tube, so that
motor- powered rams positioned along it can alter its
shape. Our throats and mouths work in a similar way to
damp out certain frequencies generated by the vocal cords."
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Ethics
for Intelligent Machines: A Proposal
Bostrom,
Nick. "Ethics for Intelligent Machines: A Proposal." NickBostrom.com,
October 2001.
Web
Site
This is an ethical and philosophical look at Artificial
Intelligence and society in the future. Four scenarios
are proposed. |
Autonomic
Computing Manifesto: IBM's Perspective on the State of
Information Technology
Horn,
Paul. "Autonomic Computing Manifesto: IBM's Perspective
on the State of Information Technology." IBM, 10/01/2001
Web
Site
The information technology boom can only explode for so
long before it collapses on itself in a jumble of wires,
buttons and knobs. IBM knows that increasing processor
might, storage capacity and network connectivity must
report to some kind of systemic authority if we expect
to take advantage of its potential. The human body's self-regulating
nervous system presents an excellent model for creating
the next generation of computing, autonomic computing
-- computing systems that regulate themselves and remove
complexity from the lives of administrators and users.
--Excerpted from IBM's summary |
Evolutionary
Emergence: The Struggle for Existence in Artificial Biota
Channon,
Alastair. "Evolutionary Emergence: The Struggle for Existence
in Artificial Biota." Channon.net, November 2001.
Web
Site
Computational natural selection, in which the phenotype
to fitness mapping is an emergent property of the evolving
environment and competition is biotic rather than abiotic,
is a paradigm that aims towards the creation of open-ended
evolutionary systems. Within such an environment, increasingly
complex behaviours can emerge. -- Alastair Channon
|
Computer
Crack[s] Funnier Than Many Human Jokes
Knight,
Will. "Computer crack[s] funnier than many human jokes."
NewScientist.com, December 20, 2001.
Web
Site
An experiment to uncover the world's funniest jokes has
found that some computer-generated gags can be more amusing
than those thought up by humans. The Laugh Lab survey
is is trying to search out the world's funniest jokes.
Researchers at Edinburgh University's computer science
laboratory contributed five computer-generated gags. These
are characterized by simple word play and most were voted
to be very poor, such as "What kind of line has sixteen
balls? A pool cue!" However one computer gag: "What kind
of murderer has moral fiber? A cereal killer," did surprisingly
well, ranking higher than a third of all other jokes.
Jason Rutter, a research fellow at Manchester University,
says: "Humor is a very interesting way to look at artificial
intelligence because at some point something has to have
two meanings, which is not easy to do with a computer."
Laugh Lab organizer Richard Wiseman, points out that the
computers used to create the entries are programmed to
play with the meaning of words but are not able to judge
funniness themselves. Were a computer able to do this,
it could perhaps be considered intelligent." It might
be the ultimate Turing test. |
Computerizing
Common Sense
"Computer
boffins pop AI's $60m question." IOL.co.za, June
9, 2002 OR "Computerizing Common Sense." Computerworld
, April 8, 2002.
Web
Site
Both pieces: The Cyc project, now 18 years old, has been
attempting to build an enormous database of commonsense
knowledge into a AI system that can begin to approach
the kind of commons sense knowldege we take for granted.
It codiefies the knowledge contained in a sentence like,
"People stop buying things after they die," into formal
computer logic. |
Architecture
for Intelligent Systems
Sowa,
J. F. "Architecture for Intelligent Systems." IBM Systems
Journal, April 15, 2002.
Web
Site
This paper proposes a framework for intelligent systems
that consist of specialized components together with logic-based
languages that can express propositions then dynamically
change the architecture of the system to react to those
propositions in three ways: 1: a human knowledge engineer
who specifies a script of speech acts that determine how
the components interact; 2: a planning component that
generates the speech acts to redirect the other components;
or 3: by a committee of components, which might include
human assistants, whose speech acts serve to redirect
one another. The components communicate by sending messages
to a blackboard, in which components accept messages that
are either directed to them or that they consider themselves
competent to handle. |
Software
Gambler Takes on the Tipsters
Marks,
Paul. "Software gambler takes on the tipsters." NewScientist.com,
December 11, 2002.
Web
Site
Using a neural network, Alan McCabe, an IT researcher
at James Cook University in northern Queensland, has developed
a software-based results tipster for Australian Rugby
League - although it could just as easily be adapted for
soccer, baseball or cricket. The program outperforms the
best human tipsters. |
Evolving
Inventions
Koza,
John R.,Keane, Martin A., Streeter, Matthew J. "Evolving
Inventions." Scientific American, February 2, 2003.
Web
Site
John Koza's team has created genetic programs (which are
different from genetic algorithms) that have duplicated
15 previously patented inventions, including several that
were hailed as seminal in their respective fields when
they were first announced. Six of the 15 were patented
after January 2000 by major research institutions, an
indication that they represent cutting edge technology.
Some represent new inventions by duplicating the functionality
of the earlier device in a novel way. One is a clear improvement
over its predecessor. Says the article: "Genetic programming
has also classified protein sequences and produced human-competitive
results in a variety of areas, such as the design of antennas,
mathematical algorithms and general-purpose controllers.
We have recently filed for a patent for a genetically
evolved general-purpose controller that is superior to
mathematically derived controllers commonly used in industry."
|
Models
of Intelligent Systems. Lecture 4: The Artificial Intelligence
Debate. Lecture Notes.
Bird,
Dick. "Models of Intelligent Systems. Lecture 4: The Artifical
Intelligence Debate: Lecture Notes." Psychology.unn.ac.uk,
Feburary 27, 2003.
Web
Site
Objective: To give an appreciation of the main issues
in the debate about artificial intelligence. |
Staring
into the Singularity
Yudkowsky,
Eliezer S. "Staring into the Singularity." Sysopmind.com,
May 27, 2001.
Web
Site
Yudkowsky's own words sum up the substance of this essay:
"If computing speeds double every two years, what happens
when computer-based AIs are doing the research? Computing
speed doubles every two years. Computing speed doubles
every two years of work. Computing speed doubles every
two subjective years of work. Two years after Artificial
Intelligences reach human equivalence, their speed doubles.
One year later, their speed doubles again. Six months
- three months - 1.5 months ... Singularity. Plug in the
numbers for current computing speeds, the current doubling
time, and an estimate for the raw processing power of
the human brain, and the numbers match in: 2021."
|
Computer
Heal Thyself
Fox,
Armando; Patterson, David. "Computer Heal Thyself." Scientific
American, June 2003
Web
Site
Digital computing performance has improved 10,000-fold
in the past two decades. That means that what took a year
of number crunching in 1983 takes less than an hour nowadays,
and a desktop computer from that era can't match the processing
power of one of today's pdas. But the article says that
increased complexity comes with a price. It means systems
tend to break down more often as well as run more sophisticated
programs faster. A group of scientists at Stanford University
and the University of California at Berkeley is designing
systems that recover rapidly when they break down. They
call the approach recovery-oriented computing (ROC).
|
Nano-optics:
Changing the Rules for Optical System Design
Kostal,
Hubert. "Nano-optics: Changing the Rules for Optical System
Design." Nanopto.com, June 2003.
Web
Site
Unlike conventional bulk optics, which operate on a physical
scale many times larger than the wavelengths of light
used in optical communications, NanoOpto's modular nano-optics
feature nano-scale structures much smaller than the wavelengths
of light. These tiny structures interact "locally" with
light to produce a wide range of optically useful effects,
some familiar, others novel and unique to NanoOpto's technology.
The revolutionarily small dimensions of nano-optics allow
multi-layer integration, yielding complex optical components
- on a chip - with a broad range of applications, and
create fundamentally new approaches to optical system
design. |
MadSim
- a tool for simulating biological neuronal networks
Mader,
W., Ausborn, J., Straub, O., Stein, W., Universit�t Ulm,
Abteilung Neurobiolog, "MadSim - a tool for simulating
biological neuronal networks," G�ttingen Neurobiology
Conference, June 15, 2003
Web
Site
A tool for simulating biological, neuronal networks. German
researchers have created MadSim, which can pass depolarizing
and hyperpolarizing currents through electrical synapses.
From the site: "Further features include the selective
export of simulation results in ASCII, easy comparison
of simulation results, downward compatibility with BIOSIM
and export and import of single neurons and selected parts
of a network. Furthermore, graphical parameters like color,
size and name of a neuron or the appearance of a result
window can be modified." An interesting tool for simulating
operating neurons in the brain. |
Wheelchair
Moves at the Speed of Thought
Graham-Rowe,
Duncan. "Wheelchair Moves at the Speed of Thought." NewScientist,
July 3, 2003.
Web
Site
Severely disabled people who cannot operate a motorised
wheelchair may one day get their independence, thanks
to a system that lets them steer a wheelchair using only
their thoughts. |
Software
Can Investigate Suspicious Deaths
Graham-Rowe,
Duncan. "Software can investigate suspicious deaths."
NewScientist.com, July 7, 2003.
Web
Site
Researchers at the Joseph Bell Centre for Forensic Statistics
and Legal Reasoning in Edinburgh, UK have programmed a
computer to investigate suspicious deaths. It can help
detectives distinguish between deaths caused by murder,
suicide, accident or natural causes. The idea is to help
investigators undertake the difficult task of mentally
juggling different crime scenarios. Right now detectives
tend to try to confirm a single hypothesis that strikes
them as most likely. This can lead to them asking witnesses
leading questions rather than looking at all possible
scenarios. |
Computer
Language Translation System Romances the Rosetta Stone
Och,
Franz Joseph, "Computer Language Translation System Romances
the Rosetta Stone," Information Sciences Institute, USC
School of Engineering, July 24, 2003.
Web
Site
USC computer scientist Franz Josef Och has developed a
single system that can translate between any two languages.
|
Microcosmos
- Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution
Margulis,
Lynn and Sagan, Dorian. 1986. Microcosmos - Four Billion
Years of Microbial Evolution. Touchstone Books.
Web
Site
A fascinating look at the evolution of the microbes that
made us possible, how they have shaped all of life and
even the rapidly evolving technologies all around us.
Some truly startling insights about the future, especially
in the books final chapters. To borrow a phrase from Lweis
Thomas: it'll leave you "permanently startled" because
it turns so much of our human centric points of view about
evolution on theier head. |
The
Unseen Genome: Beyond DNA
Gibbs,
Wayt. W., "The Unseen Genome: Beyond DNA." Scientific
American, December 2003.
Web
Site
Most organic traits are transmitted by genes in the DNA,
but scientists have found a separate code in the genome
written in chemical marks outside the DNA sequence that
can have a dramatic effect on the health and appearance
of oganisms. This epigentic code may explain why some
disease skip generations or effect only one in pair of
identical twins. This could have an effect on human intelligence
and, very likely, the evolution of the brain. |
| REVERSE
ENGINEERING: SCANNING AND REVERSE ENGINEERING |
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Artifical
Voice System Says Hello
Graham-Rowe,
D. "Artificial Voice System Says Hello." NewScientist.com,
May 2, 2001.
Web
Site
Researcher Hideyuki Sawada at Japan's Kagawa University
is attempting to recreate the physical mechanisms for
the way humans talk so that machines will sound and speak
more naturally. His system mimics a human lung using an
air tank which forces air into a plastic voice-box chamber,
where it makes rubber "vocal cords" vibrate (see article's
diagram). The basic sounds generated in the voice box
are then fed to a flexible tube that imitates a human
vocal tract. From the article: "The sound this produces
depends on the speed of the airflow, the tension of the
rubber vocal cord and the shape of the vocal tract's cross-section.
The tract is made from a flexible silicone tube, so that
motor- powered rams positioned along it can alter its
shape. Our throats and mouths work in a similar way to
damp out certain frequencies generated by the vocal cords."
|
Ambitious
plan to give sight to the blind
"Ambitious
plan to give sight to the blind," press release from Sandia
Laboratories, www.sandia.gov, September 5, 2002
Web
Site
The idea is to create 1,000 points of light through 1,000
tiny MEMs [microelectromechanical systems] electrodes.
The electrodes will be positioned on the retinas of those
blinded by diseases such as age-related macular degeneration
and retinitis pigmentosa. |
Controlling
Robots with the Mind
Nicolelis,
Miguel A. L. and Chapin, John K., "Controlling Robots
with the Mind," Scientific American, September
17, 2002
Web
Site
People with nerve or limb injuries may one day be able
to command wheelchairs, prosthetics and even paralyzed
arms and legs by "thinking them through" the motions.
|
Cascade
Back-Propagation Learning in Neural Networks
Cascade
Back-Propagation Learning in Neural Networks, NASA
Tech Brief Vol. 27, No. 5, May 1, 2003.
Web
Site
Neural networks implemented in VLSI chips - major speed
breakthrough. |
Our
Mind Electric?
Tipper,
Liezel, "Our Mind Electric?," University of Surrey Press
Release, May 17, 2002.
Web
Site
Description of McFadden's theory that the mind is an electromagnetic
field. |
Our
minds are radios
Anonymous,
"Our minds are radios," HERO, Summer 2003
Web
Site
Discussion of Professor Johnjoe McFadden's theory equating
the conscious mind with the brain’s electromagnetic
(em) field. |
Wheelchair
Moves at the Speed of Thought
Graham-Rowe,
Duncan. "Wheelchair Moves at the Speed of Thought." NewScientist,
July 3, 2003.
Web
Site
Severely disabled people who cannot operate a motorised
wheelchair may one day get their independence, thanks
to a system that lets them steer a wheelchair using only
their thoughts. |
Consciousness
- the hardest problem in science
Tipper,
Liezel, "Consciousness - the hardest problem in science."
University of Surrey Press Release, September 5, 2002.
Web
Site
Review of McFadden's 2002 paper “The Conscious Electromagnetic
Information (Cemi) Field Theory: The Hard Problem Made
Easy?”, in which McFadden proposes an answer to
the hard problem, claiming that awareness is electromagnetic
field information, viewed from the inside. |
Optical
biopsies on horizon using noninvasive biomedical imaging
technique developed by Cornell-Harvard group
"Optical
biopsies on horizon using noninvasive biomedical imaging
technique developed by Cornell-Harvard group" Cornell
News, June 11, 2003
Web
Site
An advance in biomedical imaging enables noninvasive microscopy
scans through the surface of intact organs or body systems,
producing images of diseased tissue at the cellular level
with unprecedented detail. |
"The Unseen Gene: Gems Among the Junk"
Gibbs,
W.Wayt. "The Unseen Gene: Gems Among the Junk" Scientific
American. November 2003. Pp. 47 – 53
Web
Site
Scientists thought they had nearly fathomed DNA by focusing
on the small part that contains blueprints for proteins.The
remainder – 98 percent in humans – has often
been dismissed as junk. But now rsearchers are discoverting
two vast, but largely hidden, layers of information that
affect inheritance, development and disease.. These hidden
genes work work through RNA , rather than protein. These
genes tend to be short and difficult to identify. But
some of them play major roles in the health and developments
of plants and animals. Active forms of RNA also help to
regulate a separate “epigenetic” layer of
heritable information that resides in the chromosomes
but outside the dna sequence |
"Noise
boosts nanotube antennas"
Smalley,
Eric, "Noise boosts nanotube antennas," Technology
Research News, February 11/18, 2004
Web
Site
Researchers at USC have shown that the right amount of
noise can enable carbon nanotube transistors to detect
weak electrical signals. This is the same effect -- stochastic
resonance -- that neurons use to communicate in biological
brains. |
"New
optical recording technique can see millisecond nerve
impulses in healthy and diseased brains"
Segelken,
Roger, "New optical recording technique can see millisecond
nerve impulses in healthy and diseased brains," Cornell
University press release, February 13, 2004.
Web
Site
Combining multiphoton microscopy with specially developed
dyes and a phenomenon called second-harmonic generation,
biophysicists at Cornell University and Universit� de
Rennes, France, have made high-resolution images of millisecond-by-millisecond
signaling through nerve cells. |
"C.U.
Develops New Neuroscience Tools"
Hoffman,
Vanessa, "C.U. Develops New Neuroscience Tools," Cornell
Daily Sun, February 24, 2004
Web
Site
Second harmonic imaging of membrane potential offers a
new opportunity to watch neural circuits functioning in
real time. |
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Rapture
of the Geeks: Funny Hats, Transcendent Wisdom, and the
Singularity
Doctorow,
Cory, "Rapture of the Geeks: Funny Hats, Transcendent
Wisdom, and the Singularity," Whole Earth, Spring
2003.
Web
Site
Doctorow compares the Singularity to classic mystical
belief systems. |
Giving
Robots the Gift of Sight
Kahney,
Leander, "Giving Robots the Gift of Sight." Wired News,
May 15, 2003.
Web
Site
Patrick Andrews, managing director of Break-Step Productions,
a Cambridge-based consultancy, says he has developed a
shape-recognition system called Foveola that closely mimics
the human visual system. |
Brain
Power
Shadbolt,
Nigel, "Brain Power," IEEE Intelligent Systems,
May/June 2003.
Web
Site
Highlights some current key research areas and points
out the variability in estimates of total neural connections.
|
Uniform
polarity microtubule assemblies imaged in native brain
tissue...
Dombeck,
Daniel A., et al, "Uniform polarity microtubule assemblies
imaged in native brain tissue...," PNAS Online,
June 10, 2003.
Web
Site
Second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging provides a tool
to investigate the kinetics and function of Microtubule
(MT) ensemble polarity in dynamic native brain tissue
structures and other subcellular motility structures based
on polarized MTs. |
Advanced
Neural Implants and Control
Kipke,
Daryl R., "Advanced Neural Implants and Control," www.darpa.mil,
November 1, 2000
Web
Site
Describes the efforts to develop new neural implant technologies
to establish reliable, high-capacity, and long-term information
channels between the brain and external world.
|
Unmaking
Memories: Interview with James McGaugh
"Unmaking
Memories: Interview with James McGaugh," Scientific
American, December 22, 2003
In the sci-fi thriller Paycheck, an engineer has his memory
erased after completing a sensitive job. Scientific American.com
spoke with a leading neurobiologist to find out just how
close scientists are to controlling recall. |
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Notes
Concepts on Uploading - Chip Walter
NO
CITATION. ORIGINAL IDEAS BY CHIP WALTER.
|
Will
Robots Inherit the Earth?
Minsky,
Marvin. "Will Robots Inherit the Earth?." Scientific
American, October 1994.
Web
Site
Everyone wants wisdom and wealth. Nevertheless, our health
often gives out before we achieve them. To lengthen our
lives, and improve our minds, in the future we will need
to change our our bodies and brains. To that end, we first
must consider how normal Darwinian evolution brought us
to where we are. Then we must imagine ways in which future
replacements for worn body parts might solve most problems
of failing health. We must then invent strategies to augment
our brains and gain greater wisdom. Eventually we will
entirely replace our brains -- using nanotechnology. Once
delivered from the limitations of biology, we will be
able to decide the length of our lives--with the option
of immortality-- and choose among other, unimagined capabilities
as well. -- Marvin Minsky |
The
Philosophy and Technology of Brain Uploading
Strout,
Joseph. "The Philosophy and Technology of Brain Uploading."
scifi-az.com, August 1, 1997.
Web
Site
An exploration of the concept of mind uploading.
|
When
Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain
Moravec,
Hans. "When Will Computer Hardware Match the Human Brain."
Journal of Evolution and Technology, Vol.1. 1998.
Web
Site
Hans Moravec explains what he feels it takes for a machine
to be as intelligent as we are, and why. |
Levels
and Loops: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience
Bell,
Anthony. "Levels and Loops: The Future of Artificial Intelligence
and Neuroscience." The Royal Society, Interval
Research Corporation. 1999.
Web
Site
Bell focuses on two things. One: You can't separate the
physical from the information, at least in the brain.
The two are so intertwined and interfere with one another
so fundamentally that they work differently than a computer
which uses separate hardware to run the software (information).
Two: The brain (unlike a computer) does not work in a
"feed-forward" sort of way. Cause does not always lead
to effect, at least not in simple ways. Looking closely
at the "interferences" within the brain may make it clearer
that there are feed-forward effects within loops. We just
haven't been able to to look this closely. |
Uploading
our Virtual Brain, the Possibilities of Simulating the
Human Brain on Computers
Scheib,
Vincent. "Uploading our Virtual Brain, the Possibilities
of Simulating the Human Brain on Computers." scheib.net,
February 17, 2000.
Web
Site
Charles has always had difficulty remembering things.
People's names, their birthdays, the spellings of words,
proper grammar, important dates, history facts, et cetera
- all are difficult for Charles. Recently, he started
using an electronic device to assist him. It also, conveniently,
does simple math much faster than Charles does. He cannot
help wondering, however, how much better it would be if
his mind could interface with a computer directly. What
if he was simply aware of a computer, or maybe, what if
he lived in a computer as a program? Technology is increasing
in power faster than ever, how long could it be before
Charles could upload himself into a computer? Would that
be possible at all? --Vincent Scheib |
Upload
Your Mind
Kaufman,
Ben. "Upload Your Mind." 2002.
Web
Site
A computer can flawlessly recapitulate/capture brain processes.
Kaufmann writes that a personal computer routinely performs
ten billion operations in a second while a typical cell
releases its electrical pulse only ten times in a second.
But neurons are many and they operate in parallel. 100
billion brain cells splitting the pulse of each neuron
among thousands of different axons. A further factor of
100 might be included to allow any information stored
in the shape or amplitude of the pulses to be included.
So you have 100 billion neurons, 10 pulses per neuron
per second, 1000 signals per pulse, 100 bits of information
per signal -- that means the human brain processes roughly
one hundred million billion (10^17) operations per second
-- 10,000 teraflops. This is a lot. Fast current supercomputers
can perform 36 teraflops a second. However, Moore's Law
(and the Law of Accelerating Returns) indicates that by
2020 computers will emerge with roughly the same processing
speed as the human brain (see figure 1 on web page). Kaufman
concludes that "there is no fundamental reason why a neuron
couldn't be flawlessly mimicked by a solid-state, transistor-based
device... nothing in the laws of physics forbids us from
designing a microchip that performs the exact function
of a specific neuron (to within, say, the level of thermal
noise.)" Kaufman imagines (though he cautions uploading
probably won't actually happen this way) that each neuron
in an individual brain could someday be replaced by a
microchip that perfectly mimics that neuron, all in Less
than 1/100 second without any nasty effect on neighboring
neurons. Do this 100 billion times, and you have a reverse-engineered
digital version of yourself. You don't have to understand
how the brain does what it does, you've just copied all
of the information and the ways in which that information
flows. |
Remote
Control
Hoag,
Hannah, "Remote Control." Nature, June 19, 2003.
Web
Site
Excellent survey of current DARPA research in neuroengineering.
|
Scientists
develop technique that uses ultrafast lasers to obtain
high-quality images of brain tissue
"Scientists
develop technique that uses ultrafast lasers to obtain
high-quality images of brain tissue," UCSD Science and
Engineering Press Release, July 2, 2003.
Web
Site
A new tool to map the production of neurotransmitters
and other proteins involved in communication between cells
and normal cell function and create a 3-D image of the
tissue. |
Microcosmos
- Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution
Margulis,
Lynn and Sagan, Dorian. 1986. Microcosmos - Four Billion
Years of Microbial Evolution. Touchstone Books.
Web
Site
A fascinating look at the evolution of the microbes that
made us possible, how they have shaped all of life and
even the rapidly evolving technologies all around us.
Some truly startling insights about the future, especially
in the books final chapters. To borrow a phrase from Lweis
Thomas: it'll leave you "permanently startled" because
it turns so much of our human centric points of view about
evolution on theier head. |
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Center
for Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC) Research Guide
"Center
for Neurobiological Basis of Cognition (CNBC) Research
Guide." Joint project of University of Pittsburgh and
Carnegie Mellon University.
Web
Site
This is a site from the Center for the Neural Basis of
Consciousness which provides an overview of the work being
done there. It focuses on how the brain creates higher
cognitive functions; nice combination of bits and molecules.
|
Brain
Networks Laboratory
"Brain
Networks Laboratory." Texas A & M University; Department
of Computer Science;
Web
Site
The Brain Networks Laboratory is affiliated with the Computer
Science Division of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station
(TEES). Directed by Bruce H. McCormick, the laboratory
is part of the Department of Computer Science at Texas
A&M University and is located in the H. R. Bright
Building on the College Station campus. The predecessor
of the laboratory, the Scientific Visualization Laboratory,
was established in 1987 as a result of Dr. McCormick's
participation as chair of the NSF panel that recommended
a national program in scientific visualization. The laboratory
was recently renamed to reflect its research focus today
on brain mapping and cortical network modeling.
|
The
Molecular Repair of the Brain
Merkle,
Ralph C. "The Molecular Repair of the Brain" Merkle.com,
January 1, 1994.
Web
Site
Ralph Merkle describes a way for the brain to be probed
while frozen by systematically removing each molecule,
repairing it, if necessary, or replacing it with a new
molecule and then returning it to its rightful place.
|
Brain
Backup Report Parts 1 and 2
Bozzonetti,
Yvan. "Brain Backup Report." Longevity Books, United
Kingdom. October 4, 1994.
Web
Site
Report Mission Statement: To debate the issues around
the concept of backing up the human brain by scanning
and recording the program and data therein, including
practical techniques. |
Tackling
the Brain's Genetic Complexity
Cepko,
Constance L. "Tackling the Brain's Genetic Complexity."
Nature Neuroscience, November 2001.
Web
Site
Neuroscientists will be able to use both SAGE (serial
analysis of gene expression) and microarrays to make a
catalogue of the cell types that comprise the brain. This
should take us a good deal closer to uploading.
|
Mind
Uploading Page on the Web
Web
Site
The Mind Uploading home page is dedicated to the putative
future process of copying one's mind from the natural
substrate of the brain into an artificial one, manufactured
by humans. This technology will radically alter society
in many ways, as science fiction authors have begun to
illustrate. Through this server, explore the science behind
the science fiction! |
Reverse-engineering
the Brain Might Finally Lead to Smarter Computers
Walter,
Chip. "Reverse-engineering the brain might finally lead
to smarter computers." Discover, Vol. 23 No. 12,
December 2002.
Web
Site
A look at three efforts to reverse engineer the brain
- an artificial retina, destructive brain scanning at
200 nanometers (Texas A&M) and living scans of animal
and eventually the human brain using MRI (CalTech).
|
Goal
Directed Magnetic Resonance Brain Micro-Imaging
"Goal
Directed Magnetic Resonance Brain Micro-Imaging." The
Human Brain Project at Caltech. No date.
Web
Site
CalTech (the home of Richard Feynman) is working on mapping
the human brain (and others) in detail on three fronts:
Analysis of neuronal connectivity; atlases of the developing
brain; creating software that will knit all of the imaging
together into a high resolution atlas. Designed to combine
multiple kinds of imaging and scansinto a master brain
map. |
The
McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience - Awardees
"The
McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience. 2002-2003 Awardees."
The McNight Foundation. No date.
Web
Site
Links to scientists who won McKnight awards for groundbreaking
neuroscience work. Awardees include Bernardo Sabatini
, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurobiology, Harvard
Medical School, Boston for developing molecules that emit
light when neurons make proteins, and a microscope to
view the process deep within the living brain. Karel Svoboda
, Ph.D., associate professor, Howard Hughes Medical Institute,
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, for developing
molecular tools to improve the study of brain circuitry.
|
Automated
Reconstruction of Three-dimensional Neuronal Morphology
from Laser Scanning Microscopy Images
Rodriguez,
Alfredo; Ehlenberger, Douglas; et al. "Automated Reconstruction
of Three-dimensional Neuronal Morphology from Laser Scanning
Microscopy Images Methods." Science Direct. Methods
Volume 30, Issue 1, Pages 1-106. Academic Press. May 2003.
Web
Site
Outlines technique for automating reconstruction of 3D
brain map using confocal and multiphoton laser scanning.
Can represent both global and local structural variations,
with enough res for accurate 3D analyses and realistic
biophysical modeling. Provides tool for automated digitization
and reconstruction of brain area that captures detail
on spatial scales spanning several orders of magnitude,
and that runs on a standard desktop workstation!
|
Neuroengineering:
Remote control
Hoag,
Hannah. "Neuroengineering: Remote control." Nature,
June 19, 2003.
Web
Site
A survey of current DARPA research in neuroengineering
from Nature 19 June 2003. Key ideas: * DARPA allocated
US $24 million - almost 10% of DARPA's basic research
budget to interface brain and machine * Brain-to-brain
communication is ultimate goal: exchange images and sounds
directly * Silicon to replace parts of our brain (hippocampus
is first) <--- KEY DEVELOPMENT RE UPLOADING * Memory
implants, allowing pilots to perform moves they may not
actually have learned through traditional training.
|
Ultrafast
Lasers Capture Brain Images
Kleinfeld,
David. "Ultrafast Lasers Capture Brain Images." Photonics.com,
July 3, 2003.
Web
Site
A new technique using ultrafast lasers to slice and record
images of brain tissue has been developed by an interdisciplinary
team of scientists headed by physicists at the University
of California, San Diego (UCSD). The technique provides
a new way to automate and modernize the study of tissues
at the microscopic level, and map the production of neurotransmitters
and other proteins involved in communication between cells
and normal cell function, which are produced in different
regions of the brain. |
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What
are Complex Adaptive Systems?
Fryer,
P. "What are Complex Adaptive Systems?" TrojanMice.com.
Web
Site
Overview of Complexity theory. Differentiates between
the merely complex and complex adaptive systems, those
that adjust, evolve and learn (like the brain). Outlines
the properties of Complex Adaptive Systems as: emergence,
co-evolution, sub optimal performance, requisite variety,
connectivity, simple rules, iteration etc... |
Genetic
Algorithms
Holland,
John H. "Genetic Algorithms." Columbia University, Graduate
School of Architecture, Undated.
Web
Site
The creator of Genetic Algorithms, John Holland, explains
how they work and the unexpected behaviors and results
that can emerge. |
Minds,
Machines and Godel
Lucas,
J.R. “Minds, Machines and Godel”, Philosophy,
Vol. 36, 1961 (Essay quoted in the 20th anniversary edition
of GEB, p. 388-389. The last three pages of the chapter
entitled, “Minds and Thoughts.”)
Web
Site
The central point among all of the many points this essay
makes relates to something Turing said about machine intelligence:
Self awareness may be a matter of complexity. Current
machines may not be able to "close the loop" and reflect
upon their own "thinking" because that would require adding
another part to the machine to do the reflection and then
another part to reflect on the reflection and so on. This
isn't the case with us. We reflect upon our own reflections
without, apparently, adding any additional hardware. We
close the loop. But we may be able to close the loop because
of the intense complexity of the brain that results in
an emergent behavior that we don't yet understand. The
essay also touches upon the question at the heart of Strong
AI: Can a machine attain the same capability. Lucas doesn't
conclusively prove anything in this passage, but he rasises
intriguing questions. |
Godel,
Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Hofstadter,
Douglas R.; Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden
Braid; Basic Books, New York, New York, 1979.
Web
Site
It comes down to this: How can a "self", a conscious being
emerge from inanimate matter to go on to explore itself.
Hofstadter explores so many angles, and uses so many creative
tools (among them the works and thinking of Godel, Escher
and Bach) on his journey, that startling insights are
a natural result. |
Beautifying
G�del
Hehner,
E.C.R.: "Beautifying Godel", chapter 18; Beauty is
our Business, a birthday tribute to Edsger Dijkstra,
Springer-Verlag, 1990.
A brief paper that lays out Kurt Godel's Incompleteness
Theorem in a simple and elegant way without doing damage
to the math. |
Complexity
- The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos
Walddrop,
M. Complexity - The Emerging Science at the Edge of
Order and Chaos, Simon and Schuster, 1992, New York,
New York
Web
Site
This book was written in the early days of the emergence
of complexity theory (1992). Followed on the heels of
James Gleick's Chaos and profiles several of the leading
thinkers who founded the Sante Fe Institute. A good reference
on complexity and the thinkers, including Steve Wolfram,
Murray Gell-Mann, Chris Langton and Brian Arthur.
|
Emergence:
From Chaos to Order
Holland,
John H.,Emergence: From Chaos to Order, Oxford
Univ Press; January 1, 1998
Web
Site
This book works to explain how simple rules can beget
complex results. Holland (based on reviews I've read,
not on reading the book itself) attempts and mostly succeeds
at explaining complex systems and how they can emerge
from a relatively small set of simple rules (constrained
generating procedures - cgp's) from life to brains to
human affairs. He also holds that emergence theory can
help us build a better world. If scientists can understand
and apply the knowledge they gather from studying emergent
systems, he wonders if we can use it to accelerate the
development of artificial intelligence, nanotechnology,
and biological machines as well as control aspects of
the world we've found elusive like economies, businesses,
ecosystems, life and consciousness. |
Complexity
Theory
"Complexity
Theory", h2g2, British Broadcasting Company Interactive,
August 4, 1999.
Web
Site
A straightforward description of how complexity emerges
from simple systems. |
Consciousness
– How Matter Becomes Imagination
Edelman,
Gerald and Tononi, Giulio; Consciousness – How
Matter Becomes Imagination; Penguin Books; New York,
New York; 2000.
Web
Site
Edelman and Tononi tackle everything in this book. They
don't shy away from any of the big questions and attempt,
based on current research, to address how the brain delivers
to us a sense of self. Theory is backed up with observation
and experiments, some conducted at Edelman's Neurosciences
Institute. Edelman and Tononi don't resolve everything
at any stretch, but the thing about Edelman is he's daring
yet rigorous. |
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Godel,
Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Hofstadter,
Douglas R.; Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden
Braid; Basic Books, New York, New York, 1979.
Web
Site
It comes down to this: How can a "self", a conscious being
emerge from inanimate matter to go on to explore itself.
Hofstadter explores so many angles, and uses so many creative
tools (among them the works and thinking of Godel, Escher
and Bach) on his journey, that startling insights are
a natural result. |
Facing
Up to the Problem of Consciousness
Chalmers,
David, J. 1995 "Facing Up to the Problem of Consciousness."
Journal of Consciousness Studies 2 (3), 1995, pp.
200-219
Web
Site
This piece outlines all of the various theories on qualia
first, and then shoots them down. There's a lot of "how
many angels can fit on the head of a pin" discussion in
this piece (as well as other philosophical pieces on qualia)
which gets us not very far. Chalmers, after a big wind
up, ultimately admits that the so called easy problems
of consciousness which he calls "awareness" as opposed
to "experience" (qualia) can be, or will be explained,
by physical capabilties. These include: "the ability to
discriminate, categorize, and react to environmental stimuli;
the integration of information by a cognitive system;
the reportability of mental states; the ability of a system
to access its own internal states; the focus of attention;
the deliberate control of behavior; the difference between
wakefulness and sleep." Finally, Chalmers argues (in section
#6 ) that to develop a theory of experience (qualia) we
have to take experience itself as a fundamental feature
of the world, just as we take mass, electro-magnetism,
and space-time as fundamental. He writes: "A nonreductive
theory of experience will add new principles to the furniture
of the basic laws of nature. These basic principles will
ultimately carry the explanatory burden in a theory of
consciousness. Just as we explain familiar high-level
phenomena involving mass in terms of more basic principles
involving mass and other entities, we might explain familiar
phenomena involving experience in terms of more basic
principles involving experience and other entities." He
hits the nail on the head regarding the problem with developing
a solid explanation about qualia when he writes, "There
is an obvious problem that plagues the development of
a theory of consciousness, and that is the paucity of
objective data. Conscious experience is not directly observable
in an experimental context, so we cannot generate data
about the relationship between physical processes and
experience at will." Ultimately Chalmers doesn't resolve
the problem and he doesn't take as hard headed an approach
as Edelman, but he does seem to agree that qualia are
the result of physical interactions. Where he advances
the thinking into new territory is when he invokes Shannon's
theories about information. That information states exist
(extrinsically) in information spaces. That there is a
correlation beyween an "it" and a "bit" which means that
experience has an objective correlate somehow, a thing
that is being experienced, and if that is the case then
it is not magical or empheral or beyond explanation -
there must be something physical going on that takes that
it and transforms it into a bit. But, what then of the
thoughts that we ourselves fabricate within our own minds?
Are these physical? When we think about ourselves, or
our own thinking, do those things about which we have
thoughts exist as part of the universe's information system,
an in formation state in an information space? Do we transform
a bit into an it and back again? This iterative quality
of human reflection may be what makes the "hard problem"
so hard. It oscillates, like a wave. When machines can
do transform bits into its and its into bits again, they
will indeed be spiritual. |
Facing
Backwards on the Problem of Consciousness
Dennett,
Daniel C. 1996. "Facing Backwards on the Problem of Consciousness".
Journal of Consciousness Studies 3 (1) (Special
Issue - Part 2) 4-6
Web
Site
Dennett takes on Chalmers and his assertion that experience
(qualia) is the "hard problem" and it can only begin to
be explained if you look at it as a fundamental property
of the universe like mass and gravity, undeniably there,
but still inexplicable (at least so far) scientifically.
Dennett says that you can't separate the easy problem
(explanations of awareness and perception like seeing
and shifting attention) from the hard problem (the redness
of red, the feeling of a breeze, sadness felt over a lost
one). Dennett holds that detailed explanations of how
we become aware, how we perceive (the easy problem) will
result in the hard problem evaporating just as explanation
of reproduction, growth, metabolism, immunology essentially
help resolve the associated hard problem: what is life?
It's cleverly done. Dennett's Abstract: The strategy of
divide and conquer is usually an excellent one, but it
all depends on how you do the carving. Chalmer's attempt
to sort the "easy" problems of consciousness from the
"really hard" problem is not, a useful contribution to
research, but a major misdirector of attention, an illusion-generator.
How could this be? Let me describe two somewhat similar
strategic proposals, and compare them to Chalmers' recommendation.
|
Consciousness
– How Matter Becomes Imagination
Edelman,
Gerald and Tononi, Giulio; Consciousness – How
Matter Becomes Imagination; Penguin Books; New York,
New York; 2000.
Web
Site
Edelman and Tononi tackle everything in this book. They
don't shy away from any of the big questions and attempt,
based on current research, to address how the brain delivers
to us a sense of self. Theory is backed up with observation
and experiments, some conducted at Edelman's Neurosciences
Institute. Edelman and Tononi don't resolve everything
at any stretch, but the thing about Edelman is he's daring
yet rigorous. |
Are
Virtual Photons the Elementary Carriers of Consciousness
Romijn,
Herms.2002. "Are Virtual Photons the Elementary Carriers
of Consciousness?" Journal of Consciousness Studies Volume
9, No. 1.
Web
Site
Abstract: Based on neurobiological data, modern concepts
of self-organization and a careful rationale, the hypothesis
is put forward that the fleeting, highly ordered patterns
of electric and/or magnetic fields, generated by assemblies
of dendritic trees of specialized neuronal networks, should
be thought of as the end-product of chaotic, dynamically
governed self-organization. Such patterns encode for subjective
(conscious) experiences such as pain and pleasure, or
perceiving colours. Because by quantum mechanical definition
virtual photons are the theoretical constituents of electric
and magnetic fields, the former hypothesis can be re-formulated
as follows: it is the highly ordered patterns of virtual
photons that encode for subjective (conscious) experiences.
Arguments are then given that consciousness did not emerge
during evolution only after neuronal networks had been
formed able to generate electric and/or magnetic fields
of sufficient complexity but, rather, that subjectivity
already existed in a very elementary form as a fundamental
property of the omnipresent virtual photons, i.e., of
matter. The contribution of neuronal networks to consciousness
was to generate highly ordered patterns of germs of subjectivity
(virtual photons), so allowing complex subjective (conscious)
experiences. Due to the omnipresence of virtual photons,
it follows finally that the whole universe must be imbued
with subjectivity. An experimental strategy is proposed
to test the hypothesis. |
ARE
THERE NEURAL CORRELATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS?
No�,
Alva and Thompson, Evan. 2003. ARE THERE NEURAL CORRELATES
OF CONSCIOUSNESS? Forthcoming in the Journal of Consciousness
Studies
Pretty exhaustive look at the science and philosophy behind
efforts to link the the brain to the mind. Multiple points
of view prrsented. |
Thinking
About Thought
Scaruffi,
Piero, 2003. Thinking about Thought.iUniverse.
Web
Site
A survey of big thinking about the mind and consciousness
heavily influenced by Scaruffi's believe that consciousness
and menory is (in varying degrees) a property of all matter,
living or not. he argues, for example that a piece of
paper has a memory of sorts. If you bend it enough ot
will fold and begin to "remember" the bending.
|
Qualia
Tye,
Michael. "Qualia." The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.,
June 6, 2003.
Web
Site
Summary and definition of qualia and key questions relating
to it. What is it. Where does it come from. Can it be
reduced to an anatomical explanation. History etc. A good
primer. |
Qualia
Tye,
Michael, "Qualia", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
(Summer 2003 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
Web
Site
A very solid explanation and discussion of qualia. What
it is, examples, arguments regarding irriducibility. There
are some nice thought experiments here (see section 4
("Functionalism and Qualia") - the China-body thought
experiment). From the article: Section 5: "Qualia and
the Explanatory Gap." This sums up SOME of the theories
on qualia and how we explain it (mostly from a philosophical
point of view. "This is the famous "explanatory gap" for
qualia (Levine 1983, 2000). Some say that the explanatory
gap is unbridgeable and that the proper conclusion to
draw from it is that there is a corresponding gap in the
world. Experiences and feelings have irreducibly subjective,
non-physical qualities (Jackson 1993, Chalmers 1996).
Others take essentially the same position on the gap while
insisting that this does not detract from a purely physicalist
view of experiences and feelings. What it shows rather
is that some physical qualities or states are irreducibly
subjective entities (Searle 1992). Others hold that the
explanatory gap may one day be bridged but we currently
lack the concepts to bring the subjective and objective
perspectives together. On this view, it may turn out that
qualia are physical, but we currently have no clear conception
as to how they could be (Nagel 1974). Still others adamantly
insist that the explanatory gap is, in principle, bridgeable
but not by us or by any creatures like us. Experiences
and feelings are as much a part of the physical, natural
world as life, digestion, DNA, or lightning. It is just
that with the concepts we have and the concepts we are
capable of forming, we are cognitively closed to a full,
bridging explanation by the very structure of our minds
(McGinn 1991). "Another view that has been gaining adherents
of late is that there is a real, unbridgeable gap, but
it has no consequences for the nature of consciousness
and physicalist or functionalist theories thereof. On
this view, there is nothing in the gap that should lead
us to any bifurcation in the world between experiences
and feelings on the one hand and physical or functional
phenomena on the other. There aren't two sorts of natural
phenomena: the irreducibly subjective and the objective.
The explanatory gap derives from the special character
of phenomenal concepts. These concepts mislead us into
thinking that the gap is deeper and more troublesome than
it really is. " |
Towards
a Biology of the Mind
Noe,
Alva, "Towards a Biology of the Mind," Nature,
June 19, 2003.
Web
Site
Review in Nature of "Brain-Wise: Studies in Neurophilosophy"
by Patricia Smith Churchland. |
A
Neurocomputational Perspective
Churchland,
P. M. 1989. A Neurocomputational Perspective. MIT
Press.
Web
Site
From a review: This is philosophy of mind at its best.
Not for the intellectually timid, the ideas presented
threaten to thoroughly revolutionize our understanding
of mind and its place in the world, if only we are sufficiently
daring to explore them. Churchland writes in a clear,
compelling and entertaining style; his theses fit together
to form an elegant overall perspective, and are always
carefully argued. Well-informed about the relevant empirical
research, he also has a confident command over the deep
and complex philosophical issues involved. |
Consciousness
Explained
Dennet,
Daniel, C. 1991. Consciousness Explained. Little,
Brown and Company.
Web
Site
Dennet tackles everything in this book with characteristic
wit and audacity. The chapter that matters regarding the
question of qualia begin on page 369 to 411, "Qualia Disqualified."
Qualia, Dennett holds, can be explained by physical interactions
that we turn into subjective experience. If all humans
were color blind, then there would be no such thing as
green and red, only gred, and only the experience of gred,
although Martians who are not color blind could see red
and green. It's all in the mind (and experience) of the
beholder, but the information that causes the experience
isn't. In this sense he's not all that far from Chalmers.
From Amazon's review: "Dennett argues against the myth
of the Cartesian theater--the idea that consciousness
can be precisely located in space or in time. To replace
the Cartesian theater, he introduces his own multiple
drafts model of consciousness, in which the mind is a
bubbling congeries of unsupervised parallel processing.
Finally, Dennett tackles the conventional philosophical
questions about consciousness, taking issue not only with
the traditional answers but also with the traditional
methodology by which they were reached." |
Artificial
Minds
Franklin,
Stanley, P. 1995. Artificial Minds.MIT Press.
Web
Site
From Booklist: "Franklin's tour of contemporary thought
on human, animal, and artificial minds introduces creative
theories, models, and prototypes of artificial intelligence.
After citing the scoffers' arguments regarding the improbability
of fashioning artificial minds, Franklin examines some
systems that do, in fact, exhibit aspects of intelligence.
Next is a debate on the potential usefulness of symbolic
AI computer models of cognition versus the connectionism
brain model of intelligence." |
A
Universe of Consciousness – How Matter Becomes Imagination
Edelman,
Gerald.M., Tononi, Giulio. 2000. A Universe of Consciousness
– How Matter Becomes Imagination. Penguin Books.
Web
Site
In this book Tononi and Edelman devote a whole chapter
to the issue of qualia. They call it the most daunting
problem of consciousness. Four concepts underpin their
belief that qualia can be explained by physical processes
in the brain and body, although they are highly complex
and science cannot yet explain everything. The four concepts:
1. You have to have a body and brain to experience qualia.
No objective description of qualia no matter how complete
is the same as the experience itself. 2. Each experience,
whether it’s a thought, mood, sensation or image
is separate from every other one, even if on reflection
the experiences seem to combine into one. 3. You can trace
each quale down to specific groups of neurons that are
creating the experience. These groups integrate through
highly complex reentrant interactions that further connect
them to what E and T call the brain’s dynamic core
(a system more than a physical space). 4. The earliest
qualia are the result of multi-modal discriminations carried
out even before birth by the proprioceptive, kinesthetic
and autonomic systems, largely in the brain stem so they
are very ancient and very deep. All other qualia, no matter
how complex, are built on these foundations. E and T tackle
the problem by first looking at how we experience color.
This is a quale that many believe has defied explanation,
but T and E look at current research to explore how the
visual cortex and eyes create the experience of color
by looking precisely at what neurons fire when someone
perceives the color red and which ones do not when they
say they do not. They use this as a basis for further
explaning how qualia emerge from a neural reference space
that is linked closely with the dynamic core. This means
that while different experiences can be isolated or differentiated
by looking at the activity in the brain, the experience
of any given quale must also be tightly linked to the
constant reentrant activity of the "dynamic core" for
it to be a conscious experience. Otherwise we are unaware
of it. |
In
Reply
Humphrey,
Nicholas. 2000. Journal of Consciousness Studies"In
Reply."
Much of Humphrey's target paper is based on his book History
of the Mind. Here's a summary of that from Publisher's
Weekly: "In a highly stimulating, unorthodox inquiry that
cuts across many disciplines, experimental psychologist
Humphrey argues that raw sensation, not thought, is the
central fact of consciousness. Furthermore, he claims,
mental activities other than the five senses enter consciousness
only when accompanied by "reminders" of sensation, as
with mental imagery. He posits two separate channels of
the mind--one for sensation or subjective feelings, another
for perception or objective knowledge of the external
world. These two channels ... employ very different styles
of information processing: "analog" processing of sensations
leads to pictorial images, while "digital" processing
of perception yields propositions." |
Naturalizing
Consciousness: A Theoretical Framework
Edelman,
Gerald, M. 2003. "Naturalizing Consciousness: A Theoretical
Framework." Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, vol. 100 | no. 9 | 5520-5524.
Web
Site
Consciousness has a number of apparently disparate properties,
some of which seem to be highly complex and even inaccessible
to outside observation. To place these properties within
a biological framework requires a theory based on a set
of evolutionary and developmental principles. This paper
describes such a theory, which aims to provide a unifying
account of conscious phenomena." For Edelman qualia embraces
all subjective experience -- memories, images, emotions,
not just the experience of the color red or a warm breeze
on your face. He believes that consciousness is the result
of evolutionary selective pressures that brought it into
existence, but that the selections weren't for consciousness
itself but for an increasingly refined ability to descriminate
enormous amounts of internal and external input at the
same time. Consciousness was an unitended consequence.
In effect (this is me talking), and emergent behavior.
He puts it this way: "If, as I have suggested, the neural
systems underlying consciousness arose to enable highorder
discriminations in a multidimensional space of signals
(8), qualia are those discriminations. Differences in
qualia correlate with differences in the neural structure
and dynamics that underlie them. Thus, for example, olfactory
neurons and their circuits differ from retinal neurons
and circuits, and such differences seem sufficient to
account for differences in their respective qualia. These
reflections apply as well to complex scenes, and I have
stressed that it is the distinctions among the entire
set of experienced qualia that allow the specific defining
property of each quale to appear (8). -- Abstract summary
|
Brain-Wise:
Studies in Neurophilosophy
No�,
Alva, "Brain-Wise: Studies in Neurophilosophy by Patricia
Smith Churchland," NATURE VOL 423, June 19, 2003
Review of Brain-Wise, in which Patricia Smith Churchland
provides an introduction to what she calls ‘neurophilosophy’
—philosophy as it is being transformed by advances
in neuroscience. |
| CONSCIOUSNESS:
WHO AM I? |
| Color
Key |
| Web
Resources = |
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| Print
Resources = |
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|
Godel,
Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Hofstadter,
Douglas R.; Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden
Braid; Basic Books, New York, New York, 1979.
Web
Site
It comes down to this: How can a "self", a conscious being
emerge from inanimate matter to go on to explore itself.
Hofstadter explores so many angles, and uses so many creative
tools (among them the works and thinking of Godel, Escher
and Bach) on his journey, that startling insights are
a natural result. |
Hybrid
Cognition
Worden,
R.P. 1999. "Hybrid Cognition." The Journal of Consciousness
Studies. 6 (1),pp., 70-90
Web
Site
N/A (see comments above) |
Consciousness
– How Matter Becomes Imagination
Edelman,
Gerald and Tononi, Giulio; Consciousness – How
Matter Becomes Imagination; Penguin Books; New York,
New York; 2000.
Web
Site
Edelman and Tononi tackle everything in this book. They
don't shy away from any of the big questions and attempt,
based on current research, to address how the brain delivers
to us a sense of self. Theory is backed up with observation
and experiments, some conducted at Edelman's Neurosciences
Institute. Edelman and Tononi don't resolve everything
at any stretch, but the thing about Edelman is he's daring
yet rigorous. |
ARE
THERE NEURAL CORRELATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS?
No�,
Alva and Thompson, Evan. 2003. ARE THERE NEURAL CORRELATES
OF CONSCIOUSNESS? Forthcoming in the Journal of Consciousness
Studies
Pretty exhaustive look at the science and philosophy behind
efforts to link the the brain to the mind. Multiple points
of view prrsented. |
Thinking
About Thought
Scaruffi,
Piero, 2003. Thinking about Thought.iUniverse.
Web
Site
A survey of big thinking about the mind and consciousness
heavily influenced by Scaruffi's believe that consciousness
and menory is (in varying degrees) a property of all matter,
living or not. he argues, for example that a piece of
paper has a memory of sorts. If you bend it enough ot
will fold and begin to "remember" the bending.
|
Lives
of a Cell
Thomas,
Lewis. 1975. Lives of a Cell - Notes of a Biology Watcher"Lives
of a Cell." pp 3-5. Penguin Books.
Web
Site
A common theme of Lewis Thomas, one of the great scientific
essayists to ever come down the pike, is "selfness." In
the title essay, Thomas deals with the biological issue
of what is me and what isn’t as well as cooperation
as a force as powerful in evolution as competition. These
issues beg questions about viruses, parasites and symbiotic
relationships (which relates to Jaron Lanier’s "Circle
of Empathy" – isn't such a circle really a network
of psychologically symbiotic (sometimes parasitic) relationships?
Isn’t all of society? It even redefines the concept
of technology and biology (is technology simply biology
by another name?) We see these trends in the cyber world
as well. Tom Ray’s Tierra project turned up naturally
occurring digital parasites in the first five minutes
of running the program. What’s more he discovered
that the elimination of parasites seemed to stunt the
evolutionary diversity of the system. More evidence that
parasitism and symbiosis (it’s sometime hard to
know the difference) are important factors in evolution
on multiple levels. |
The
Origin of Consciousnessin the Breakdown of the Bicameral
Mind, "Consciousness" Chapter 2
Jaynes,Julian.
1976. "Consciousness." The Origin of Consciousnessin
the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. Houghton Mifflin
Company
Web
Site
In this chapter, beginning on page 59, Jaynes outlines
the features of consciousness. Three of them specifically
apply to the question of "Who am I?" "The analog "I";
"The Metaphor "Me"; and "Narratization." But the whole
chapter is thought provoking. He essentially sees consciousness
as an analog the what we are experiencing in the world
with ourselves as the main character. he sees our sense
of self as a metaphor, a kind of symbol that we can use
to move around in throught worlds we create. |
Metamagical
Themas
Hoftstadter,
Douglas,R. 1985. Metamagical Themas. Basic Books.
Chapter 25, "Who Shove Whom Around Inside the Careenium?
or, What Is the Meaning of the Word "I"?" March 1981.
Web
Site
Hofstadter's famous philosophical duo from G�del, Escher,
Bach,Achilles and the Tortoise join in a fascinating
conversation about the most perplexing question of all:
"Who am I?" (And, therefore, who is asking that question
in the first place, and how?) |
Waking
Up from the Boolean Dream
Hofstadter,
Douglas, R. 1985. Metamagical Themas: Questing for
the Essence of Mind and Pattern,Chapter 25 "Waking
Up from the Boolean Dream."
Most discussions and theories about artificial intelligence
focus on logical, conscious events and sysems that are
supposed to result in intelligence. Douglas Hofstadter
lays into one of the big questions that so many scientists
avoid when considering strong AI and the possibility that
machines may someday become conscious: the subconscious.
What is the substrate, the unconscious processes out of
which consciousness itself emerges? He doesn't answer
the question, but at least he raises it. |
"A
New Kind of Cell"
Margulis,
Lynn. 1984. Early Life. Jones and Bartlett Publishing.
"A New Kind of Cell," pp. 75-106."
Web
Site
In this chapter Margulis outlines how difficult it is
to know precsiely the difference between what is us and
what isn't as she describes the ancient evolution of the
cell out of which nearly every living thing on eath consists,
including us. A fascinating look at the importance of
cooperation and symbiosys in evolution which has interesting
applications now in the digital world. |
The
Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Ha
Sacks,
Oliver. 1985. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a HatTouchstone
Books; Simon and Schuster
Web
Site
Like Anthropologist on Mars, this earlier book written
by Sacks tells the personal stories of people with minds
different from most of us and in the process illuminates
how ours work. |
Microcosmos
- Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution
Margulis,
Lynn and Sagan, Dorian. 1986. Microcosmos - Four Billion
Years of Microbial Evolution. Touchstone Books.
Web
Site
A fascinating look at the evolution of the microbes that
made us possible, how they have shaped all of life and
even the rapidly evolving technologies all around us.
Some truly startling insights about the future, especially
in the books final chapters. To borrow a phrase from Lweis
Thomas: it'll leave you "permanently startled" because
it turns so much of our human centric points of view about
evolution on theier head. |
A
Neurocomputational Perspective
Churchland,
P. M. 1989. A Neurocomputational Perspective. MIT
Press.
Web
Site
From a review: This is philosophy of mind at its best.
Not for the intellectually timid, the ideas presented
threaten to thoroughly revolutionize our understanding
of mind and its place in the world, if only we are sufficiently
daring to explore them. Churchland writes in a clear,
compelling and entertaining style; his theses fit together
to form an elegant overall perspective, and are always
carefully argued. Well-informed about the relevant empirical
research, he also has a confident command over the deep
and complex philosophical issues involved. |
Consciousness
Explained
Dennet,
Daniel, C. 1991. Consciousness Explained. Little,
Brown and Company.
Web
Site
Dennett explains who we are this way: We are a Center
of narrative Gravity, a series of connected stories we
tell about our behavior (inside and outside). All of the
phenomena of human consciousnessare"explicable as 'just'
the activities of a virtuial machinerealized in the astronomically
adjustable connections of the human brain," P. 431. We
are, he effectively says, the program, the software that
runs on the computer that is the human brain. Is this
the same as being the emergent behavior that results from
the complex interactions of the human brain and body and
the world we experience as well as the interactions within
the the brain that we create? |
Beyond
Humanity: CyberEvolution and Future Minds
Paul,
Gregory,S. and Cox, Earl D. 1996. Beyond Humanity:
CyberEvolution and Future Minds.
Web
Site
Gregoiry Paul and Earl Cox look at the cyber future, artifical
intelligence, the singularity, human consciousness and
everything in between as they gamely and often entertainingly
attempt to outline a future where evolution makes cyberleaps
that will lead to immortality and godlike powers. A very
readable introduction to the concepts of the singularity
to those not very familiar with them. |
An
Anthropologist on Mars
Sacks,
Oliver. 1996.An Anthropologist on Mars. Vintage
Books.
Web
Site
Sack's humanistic, yet scientifically solid, explorations
of "other minded" people shed light (and cause us to question)
our own conscious experiences. Stories include an autistic
author who relates to animals better than humans, a surgeon
whose Tourette's Syndrome subsides when he begins to operate,
a man who lost his memory in 1968 and lives perpetually
in a present that is actually a receding past. An artist
who loses his ability to see color, but grows to love
it 9and the night). These stories help illustrate how
strongly our experience is shaped by the physical procesess
of the brain and calls into question traditional views
of who we are. |
Formal
Theories of Consciousness
Scaruffi,
Piero 1997. Formal Theories of Consciousness.
Web
Site
An overview of the most clearly reasoned theories of consciousness
by several important thinkers in the firled of cognitive
neuroscience, psychology, neurobiology and philosophy.
|
The
Emergent Ego: Complexity and Coevolution in the Psychoanalytic
Process
Palombo,
Stanley R. and Kauffman, Stuart. 1999 The Emergent
Ego: Complexity and Coevolution in the Psychoanalytic
Process.
Web
Site
N/A |
The
Conscious and the Unconsciouss
Edleman,
Gerald, M. and Tononi, Giulio. 2000. A Universe of
Consciousness: How Matter Becomes Imagination. "The
Conscious and the Unconsciouss." Chapter 14. Penguin Books.
Web
Site
This chapter of Edelman and Tononi's book explains that
while the thalamocortical system operates by reentrant
interactions of enormous amounts of information, subconscious
processing of information works by moving it from the
thalamocortical system to the basal ganglia or cerebellum
(and probably other structures in the brain) in parallel
loops that are open in only one direction. These then
move information back to the thalamus which then has an
effect on conscious thought. As an analogy, the authors
imagine that many diplomats are in a room in high level,
crisis discussions. Their thrashing out of the issues
represents conscious thought. But often each diplomat
needs to have separate, private discussions with the leaders
of her particular country. The other diplomats are not
privy to these discussions. Nevertheless, the private
talks have a huge impact on the subsequent discussions
that the diplomats have with one another, and therefore
on the decisions they arrive at. In many ways this chapter
attempts a rigorous scientific answer to the question
raised by Douglas Hofstatder in his essay, "Waking Up
from the Boolean Dream." |
In
Reply
Humphrey,
Nicholas. 2000. Journal of Consciousness Studies"In
Reply."
Much of Humphrey's target paper is based on his book History
of the Mind. Here's a summary of that from Publisher's
Weekly: "In a highly stimulating, unorthodox inquiry that
cuts across many disciplines, experimental psychologist
Humphrey argues that raw sensation, not thought, is the
central fact of consciousness. Furthermore, he claims,
mental activities other than the five senses enter consciousness
only when accompanied by "reminders" of sensation, as
with mental imagery. He posits two separate channels of
the mind--one for sensation or subjective feelings, another
for perception or objective knowledge of the external
world. These two channels ... employ very different styles
of information processing: "analog" processing of sensations
leads to pictorial images, while "digital" processing
of perception yields propositions." |
The
Mind's Past
Gazzaniga,
Michael. 2000. The Mind's PastUniversity of California
Press.
Web
Site
In this book Gazzaniga proposes a couple of unconventional,
even startling ideas. One, that the mind really consists
of many minds which operate as the analogs for various
modular sections of the brain which have evolved over
time. Tjough we have many modules, only one, the "interpreter"
in the left hemisphere usually and associated with the
speech centers of the brain, makes up stories to explain
why we do and feel and think the things we do. (This is
his second unconventional theory.) In other words, thought
doesn't create speech, it follows it. We don't plan behavior,
but the interpreter explains it, rationailzes it. From
a review by Joao Teixeira at the philosophy department
at Sheffield University. "Such an interpreter is not a
"self" nor "part of a self" but - as the author points
out - a brain device that accounts for a reconstruction
of our past experiences, thus "weaving its story in order
to convince itself and you that it is in full control"
(p.25). Furthermore, by providing us with some kind of
personal story or an experience of an ongoing narrative
the interpreter or "what amounts to a spin doctor in the
left brain" (p.26) gives us the sensation that the "self"
exists, detached from the brain. Such a "detached self"
is, nonetheless, illusory - a sheer by-product of brain
activity attempting to gather the multifarious output
of cortically based automatic systems working outside
of conscious awareness. " (See URL above.) Another interestring
point: Gazzaniga suggests memory is an interpretation
of the past rather than a record of it and used mainly
to fill in blanks. It's accuracy is highly suspect.
|
How conscious experience and working memory interact
Baars,
Bernard, J. and Franklin, Stan. 2003. Trends in Cognitive
Sciences. "How Conscious Experience and Working Memory
Interact." In press exact date of publication unknown.
Web
Site
Quoting the article's abstract: "Active components of
classical working memory are conscious, but traditional
theory does not account for this fact. Global Workspace
theory suggests that consciousness is needed to recruit
unconscious specialized networks that carry out detailed
working memory functions. The IDA model provides a fine-grained
analysis of this process, specifically of two classical
workingmemory tasks, verbal rehearsal and the utilization
of a visual image. In the process, new light is shed on
the interactions between conscious and unconscious aspects
of working memory." |
Unifying
Consciousness with Explicit Knowledge
Perner,
Josef and Dienes, Zoltan. 2003. The unity of consciousness:
binding, integration, and dissociation.Cleeremans,
A. (Ed.) "Unifying Consciousness with Explicit Knowledge."Oxford
University Press
Web
Site
The final section of this piece illustrates how we may
feel that we have one self simply because we tell ourselves
we do and keep our beliefs consistent within that one
self. But we may be capable of more than one self as hypnosis
(and multiple personality disorder) illustrate. The end
of the piece also illustrates that we may often have knowledge
that we don't have knowldege that we have. In other words,
a lot of knowledge may be subconscious (implicit),
|
A
Short History of Nearly Everything
Bryson,
Bill. A Short History of Nearly Everything. Broadway
Books (Random House), 2003. pp. 320-303.
In this exploration of microbes, viruses and invisible
animals, Bryson illustrates how we rely on quadrillions
of single-celled organisms to keep each of us healthy
and operating. They reside inside and outside of us, on
our teeth, in our eyes, wherever you can imagine. We can't
live without them so is it possible to say they really
are us as much a part of us as our skin, muscle and blood
cells? |
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Eschatology
Hooker,
Richard. "General Glossary - Eschatology." 1/01/1996.
Web
Site
A brief, but useful outline of the meaning of eschatology
and a summary of major religious eschatologies and their
connection with scientific and cultural thought. Additional
links lead to additional, interesting thinking.
|
Eschatology
"Eschatology."
Wikipedia -- The Free Encyclopedia.
Web
Site
This entry in Wikipedia outlines the meaning of eschatology.
provides and overview of the eschatologies of several
relgions and provides multiple links to other sites that
explore the eschatologies of everything from Norse and
Aztec 'end of the world" myths to modern day religions.
Some links are more satisfying than others. |
Eschatology
"Eschatology."
Transmillenial.com.
Web
Site
This site provides multiple links to multiple articles
and books that explore mainly Christian eschatological
issues. |
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Existential
Risks: Analyzing Human Extinction Scenarios and Related
Hazards
Web
Site
Nick
Bostrom defines a new category of risks that could threaten
humanity and intelligent life with extinction: existential
risks. The future could be a dangerous place indeed.
|
Genetic
Programming: A TCC 200R Project
Darling,
Benjamin; Hallen, Benjamin; Pennock, Michael. "Genetic
Programming: A TCC 200R Project" cti.itc.virginia.eduUndated.
Web
Site
This slide show explore genetic programming (as opposed
to genetic algorithms), a type of programming developed
by John Koza at Stanford. Among the areas it explores
are the dangers and implications of a kind of programming
that can continue to program and improve itself.
|
Engines
of Destruction
Drexler,
Eric, K. 1987. "Engines of Destuction." Chapter 11: Engines
of Creation Anchor Books.
Web
Site
Eric K. Drexler, the man who really created the concept
and tackled much of the science behind nanotechnology
addresses the destructive side of the technology. Issues
he raises here are just now beginning to be seriously
debated. |
"Living
Together" From Zen and the Art of Creating Life
Ray,
Thomas. "Living Together" From Zen and the Art of Creating
LifeAugust 3, 1995.
Web
Site
The creator of artificial life programs looks at all side
of the question of evolving software, including the dark
side. Tom Ray puts it this way regarding the dangers of
genetically evolving software: "Imagine however, the problems
that could arise if evolving digital organisms were to
colonize the computers connected to the major networks.
They could spread across the network like the infamous
internet worm. When we attempted to stop them, they could
evolve mechanisms to escape from our attacks. It might
conceivably be very difficult to eliminate them. However,
this scenario is highly unlikely, as it is probably not
possible for digital organisms to evolve on normal computer
systems. While the supposition remains untested, normal
machine languages are probably too brittle to support
digital evolution." |
Some
Limits to Global Ecophagy by Biovorous Nanoreplicators,
with Public Policy Recommendations
Freita,
Robert A. "Some Limits to Global Ecophagy by Biovorous
Nanoreplicators, with Public Policy Recommendations" foresightsintitute.org.
April 1, 2000.
Web
Site
In a dense scientific piece Freitas tackles how we might
best control runaway nano devices that could destroy everything.
He writes: "The maximum rate of global ecophagy by biovorous
self-replicating nanorobots is fundamentally restricted
by the replicative strategy employed; by the maximum dispersal
velocity of mobile replicators; by operational energy
and chemical element requirements; by the homeostatic
resistance of biological ecologies to ecophagy; by ecophagic
thermal pollution limits (ETPL); and most importantly
by our determination and readiness to stop them. .. All
ecophagic scenarios examined appear to permit early detection
by vigilant monitoring, thus enabling rapid deployment
of effective defensive instrumentalities." |
Negotiating
Gene Science Ethics
Philipkoski,
Kristen. "Negotiating Gene Science Ethics." Wired News,
Jun. 26, 2000.
Web
Site
This piece followed announcements that the human genome
had been mapped. It explores some of the ethical issues
we face as the work of understanding what the map has
toi tell us gets underway. Will we wreally want to know
what are genetic make-up is? Itcould be scary if it predicts
you have certain diseases or predilictions. Who else should
know your genetic make-up. Could insurance companies use
the information against you. How much do we get to play
with our genes? Is it okay to not only use the information
to cure disease, but change our looks, improve our intelligence,
develop tailor-made babies? Who owns the genetic information?
Can it be patented? These questions indicate the deep
complexity of the questions that advances in nanotechnology
and artifcial intelligence will place on the world's table.
|
Why
Robots Won't Rule the World
Malcolm,
Chris. "Why Robots Won't Rule the World" November 25,
2000.
Web
Site
Chris Malcolm is a lecturer at the University of Ediburgh's
Schoolof Informatics. This website pulls together a broad
view of the history of AI and robotics together with considerations
about the nature of AI, its potential future effects and
some interesting insightsabout we have to fear, or not,
from the evolution of artificially intelligent machines.
He strikes a middle road between strong and weak AI proponents.
|
Nanotechnology
- Scientific American
Scientific
American. September 1. 2001.
Web
Site
In this issue of Scientific American nanotechnology pioneer
Eric Drexler outlines his view of the future. Nobel prize
winner Richard Smalley explains why he feels nano-assemblers
won't work. |
Don't
Fear Science You Can't See
McGee,
Patrick. "Don't Fear Science You Can't See." Wired
News.December 1, 2001.
Web
Site
Technology law expert Glen Reynolds warns that there will
be an anti-nanotech movement, just as there is an anti-biotech
movement. He suggests that instead of regulating technology,
society should focus on keeping it out of the hands of
the wrong people. "Nanobots don’t kill people; people
kill people," he says. |
The
search for perfection - The debate
"The
search for perfection - The debate." NewScientist.com.
April 30, 2002. Web site: Graham-Rowe, Duncan. "Artificial
voice system says hello."
Web
Site
New Scientist's summary: "As a new age of genetics looms,
how free should we be to design our children? Should we
eliminate defects and tweak embryos to enhance intelligence?
Or should society do what it failed to do with cosmetic
surgery--clamp down hard from the start? This was the
theme of the second public debate organised by New Scientist
and Greenpeace last week. On the panel were John Harris,
a philosopher from the University of Manchester, Tom Shakespeare,
a sociologist from Outreach in Newcastle who was born
with the genetic condition achondroplasia, Kathy Phillips,
health and beauty director at Vogue, and Donald Bruce,
from the Church of Scotland's Project on Science and Technology.
Suzi Leather, head of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology
Authority was referee." |
Can
Science Be Directed - The Debate
"Can
Science Be Directed - The Debate." NewScientist.com.
April 30, 2002.
Web
Site
New Scientist"s Introductio to this debate: Does it matter
that we spend billions on genetically-modified food and
only a fraction of that on understanding our ecology?
Who cares if technology benefits the rich far more than
the poor? Should ordinary people be given a serious stake
in making decisions about science? These were some of
the key issues at the fourth public debate organised by
New Scientist and Greenpeace. The panel members were Martin
Rees, the Astronomer Royal and author of Our Cosmic Habitat,
Steve Fuller, professor of sociology at the University
of Warwick and author of The Governance of Science, William
Stewart, president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and
a former government chief scientist, and Vandana Shiva,
physicist and director of the new International College
for Sustainable Living in Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh. Crispin
Tickell, warden of Green College, Oxford, needed all the
diplomatic skills he gained as environmental adviser to
three successive PMs to keep the show on the road ."
|
Technology:
Taking the good without the bad? - The Debate
"Technology:
Taking the Good With the Bad? The Debate." NewScientists.com.
Web
Site
New Scientist's summary: "Very soon, unimaginably powerful
technologies will remake our lives. This could have dangerous
consequences, especially because we may not even understand
the basic science underlying them. How will we defend
ourselves if bio, nano or infotech go wrong? Should we
give in to the seduction of the androids? Will we have
to invent new politics to deal with the unknown? These
were some of the key issues at the third public debate
organised by New Scientist and Greenpeace last week. On
the panel were Ian Pearson, a futurologist at BTexact,
Brian Aldiss, science fiction writer and author of the
story behind the movie AI, Robin Grove-White, professor
of science and society at Lancaster University and chair
of Greenpeace in Britain, and Jon Turney, head of science
and technology studies at University College London. Julia
King, a director of engineering and technology at Rolls-Royce,
ensured fair play." |
Impact
of Technology on Society
Hinds,
Larry. (Ed.) "Impact of Technology on Society." mt.sopris.netJanuray
1, 2003. (Continuously updated.)
Web
Site
This site features quotes on the impact of technology
on human society from minds like Bertrand Russell, Arthur
Koestler, Richard Feynman, Francis Crick, even Margaret
Thatcher. Right, left or center ... a wide variety of
insights and opinions. |
Mind
the Gap: Science and Ethics in Nanotechnology
Mnyusiwalla,
Anisa; Daar, Abdallah S and Singer, Peter A. "Mind the
Gap: Science and Ethics in Nanotechnology." Nanotechnology,
February 17, 2003,
Web
Site
Nanotechnology scientific development is out running efforts
to explore and understand this powerful new technology's
impact on policy, ethics, law and governance. First world
nations are spending enormous sums of money on nanotechnolgy
research, but paying little attention to potential ethical
issues. Important questions to explore? Who will benefit
from NT advances. Will this accelrate or slow the gap
known as the digital divide between the world's haves
and have nots? How will NT effect the precarious 21st
century balance between privacy and security. (Remember
the iris scanners in Minority Report?) Environmental issues.
The Gray Goo question. How acceptable will technologies
such as implantable cells and sensors be for the general
population? Suggest learning from mistakes made when the
Humane Genome Project got underway and better fund the
study or ethical and social issues now from an interdisciplinary
point of view and weave the questions throughour curricula
and resaerch. |
Dangers
of Molecular Nanotechnology
Phoenix,
Chris. "Dangers of Molecular Nanotechnology" Center for
Responsible Nanotechnology. crnano.org. April 21,
2003.
Web
Site
The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology explores the
damage that could result if fully developed molecular
nanotechnology is improperly exploited. Among the risks:
Economic disruption from an abundance of cheap products
Economic oppression from artificially inflated prices
Personal risk from criminal or terrorist use Personal
or social risk from abusive restrictions Social disruption
from new products/lifestyles Unstable arms race Free-range
self-replicators (gray goo) Collective environmental damage
from unregulated products Black market in nanotech (increases
other risks) Competing nanotech programs (increases other
risks) Attempted relinquishment (increases other risks)
|
Making
the Future Safe-Notes from the World Transhumanist Association's
annual conference
Bailey,
Ronald. "Making the Future Safe-Notes from the World Transhumanist
Association's annual conference." resononline.comJuly
2, 2003
Web
Site
Ronald Baily analyzes the debate between Gregory Stock,
director of the University of Calfornia's Program on Medicine,
Technology and Society and George Annas, a Boston University
professor of health law, bioethics and human rights at
the Transhumanist Society's Transvision 2003 held at Yale
to explore the future evolution of the huamn race.
|
Machines
that Reproduce May be Reality
Martin,
Mike "Machines that Reproduce May be Reality." www.newsfactor.com
July 10, 2003.
Web
Site
Canadian and European researchers (Peter Turney and Arnold
Smith from the National Research Council of Canada and
Robert Ewaschuk from the University of Waterloo) have
created a digital primordial soup in which digital cellular
automata spontaneously form self-replicating patterns
not unlike DNA. The T-shaped "codons" swim in a computer-generated
virtual liquid forming single, double, and even triple
strands. The researchers think the self-genrating coding
might be useful in developing programs for nanotechnology.
The issue of how to control the self-replication is mentioned
but not resolved. The project is called JohnnyVon.
|
Cyborg
Liberation Front
Baard,
Erik. "Cyborg Liberation Front" www.villagevoice.com.
July 30, 2003.
Web
Site
Baard covers and then muses on the meaning and direction
of the Transhumanist Movement and a recent conference
held at Yale that addresses what the future may hold,
should hold for the evolution of humans and machines.
He explores concerns about transhumanist goals from both
the right and the left. |
A
Technical Commentary on Greenpeace's Nanotechnology Report
Phoenix,
Chris. "A Technical Commentary on Greenpeace's Nanotechnology
Report" September 1, 2003.
Web
Site
Chris Phoenix, Director of Research at the Center for
Responsible Nanotechnology, addresses the special issues
involved with safely developing Molecular Nanotechnology
that envisions molecule-sized assemblers that will mechanize
chemical reeactions and the assembly of all types of harware.
Also discusses Smalley's objections to molecular nanotechnology
and explores what the paper calls Limited Molecular Nanotechnology
(LMNT)> |
New
Anthrax Vaccine Protects on Two Fronts
Graham,
Sarah. "New Anthrax Vaccine Protects on Two Fronts" scientificamerican.comSeptember
02, 2003.
Web
Site
A new vaccine has been developed that protects against
toxins not attacked by current antibiotics. Scientists
at Harvard and Bringham's and Women's hospital found that
mice treated with the new drug survived exposure to anthrax
that killed control animals within 24 hours. The authors
conclude that the vaccine design "may be widely applicable
against infectious diseases and provides additional tools
in medicine and biodefense." |
FOOD
FEARS - The threat of agricultural terrorism spurs calls
for more vigilance
Dupont,
Daniel "FOOD FEARS - The threat of agricultural terrorism
spurs calls for more vigilance." Scientific American.com.
October 2003.
<
target='_blank'>Web Site
Genetic or parasitic contamination of any nation's food
supply could cripple it's economy as well as its people.
Terrorists could infiltrate the systems that create and
deliver food with little trouble, say critics and it's
time to figure out how to protect against the devastating
possibility. |
The
Biotech Century: Harnessing the Gene and Remaking the
World
Rifkin,
Jeremy. 1998. The Biotech Century: Harnessing the Gene
and Remaking the WorldPutnam.
Web
Site
Jeremy Rifkin looks at genetic engineering (and other
technologies) and asks, "Should we be slowing things down?"
|
Nanotechnology:
U.S. Congress Testimony, Prepared Written Statement and
Supplemental Material
Smalley,
R.E. 1999. "Nanotechnology: U.S. Congress Testimony, Prepared
Written Statement and Supplemental Material."
Chemist and Nobel Laureate, Richard Smalley outlines needs,
impact and some concerns regarding the development of
nanotechnologies in the US. |
The
Demon in the Freezer: A True Story
Preston,
Richard. The Demon in the Freezer: A True Story.
2002. Random House.
Web
Site
Preston takes an unflinching look at lethal diseases and
pathogens we've attempted to eradicate at the same time
we have worked secretly to turn them into powerful weapons
which could destroy millions. A harbinger of problems
we will face as we develop genetically engineered microbes
and nanothechnologies, not to mention smarter software
and machines. |
Self-Replicating
Machines in Continuous Space with Virtual Physic
Smith,
Arnold, Turney, Peter, Ewaschuk, Robert (Corresponding
author). "Self-Replicating Machines in Continuous Space
with Virtual Physics" Artificial Life. 2002.
This experiment called JohnnyVon places self-replicating
machines in continuous two dimensional space. Two types
of particles drift about in a virtual liquid. The particles
are automata with discrete internal states but continuous
external relationships. Their internal states are governed
by finite state machines but their external relationships
are governed by a simulated physics that includes brownian
motion, viscosity, and springlike attractive and repulsive
forces. The particles can be assembled into patterns that
can encode arbitrary strings of bits. We demonstrate that,
if an arbitrary “seed” pattern is put in a
“soup” of separate individual particles, the
pattern will replicate by assembling the individual particles
into copies of itself. We also show that, given sufficient
time, a soup of separate individual particles will eventually
spontaneously form self-replicating patterns. We discuss
the implications of JohnnyVon for research in nanotechnology,
theoretical biology, and artificial life. |
Future
Technologies, Today's Choices - A Report for the Greenpeace
Environmental Trust
Arnall,
Alexander. 2003. "Future Technologies, Today's Choices."
A Report for the Greenpeace Environmental Trust. The Greepeace
Environmantal Trust.
Web
Site
Following a series of debates co-sponsored with New Scientist
magazine, Greepeace decided to commission a study that
looked at powerful emerging technologies to spur public
discussion now, before the technologies are upon us. They
see the emergence of, nanotechnology, for example as a
great opportunity to get issues on the table before a
crisis could develop. The acceptance, and direction, of
technologies in the past often have to do with social
understanding and acceptance of them, says the report.
Greepeace points out two: the resistance to genetically
modified foods in Europe, but the wide acceptance of cell
phones. The report endeavors to address questions like:
• Who is in control? • Where can I get information
that I trust? • On what terms is the technology
being introduced? • What risks apply, with what
certainty, and to whom? • Where do the benefits
fall? • Do the risks and benefits fall to the same
people (e.g. mobile phones are popular, while mobile phone
masts are not)? • Who takes responsibility for resulting
problems? |
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Technological
Singularity
Vinge,
Vernor, "Technological Singularity," Whole Earth,
Winter 1993.
Web
Site
Vernor Vinge's speculations on the possibilities of the
approaching Singularity. |
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The
Genetic Revolution: Ethical Issues
Young,
Ernl� W.D. "The Genetic Revolution: Ethical Issues." Access
Excellence@The National Health Museum. Undated.
Web
Site
This talk explores genetic engineering issues related
to privacy, cloning, eugenics and genetic enhancement.
Many of these general topics are among those we'll be
addressing as AI and nanotechnology rapidly advance.
|
Genetic
Programming: A TCC 200R Project
Darling,
Benjamin; Hallen, Benjamin; Pennock, Michael. "Genetic
Programming: A TCC 200R Project" cti.itc.virginia.eduUndated.
Web
Site
This slide show explore genetic programming (as opposed
to genetic algorithms), a type of programming developed
by John Koza at Stanford. Among the areas it explores
are the dangers and implications of a kind of programming
that can continue to program and improve itself.
|
COLOSSUS:
The Forbin Project - 1969
Parks,
Kelly. "COLOSSUS: The Forbin Project - 1969" Feoamante's
Horror Homepage. Undated
Web
Site
A summary and review of the grandaddy of strong AI disasters.
The technology in the movie is antiquated, but the themes
are still relevant. |
"Living
Together" From Zen and the Art of Creating Life
Ray,
Thomas. "Living Together" From Zen and the Art of Creating
LifeAugust 3, 1995.
Web
Site
The creator of artificial life programs looks at all side
of the question of evolving software, including the dark
side. Tom Ray puts it this way regarding the dangers of
genetically evolving software: "Imagine however, the problems
that could arise if evolving digital organisms were to
colonize the computers connected to the major networks.
They could spread across the network like the infamous
internet worm. When we attempted to stop them, they could
evolve mechanisms to escape from our attacks. It might
conceivably be very difficult to eliminate them. However,
this scenario is highly unlikely, as it is probably not
possible for digital organisms to evolve on normal computer
systems. While the supposition remains untested, normal
machine languages are probably too brittle to support
digital evolution." |
Wingspread
Statement on the Precautionary Principle
Wingspread
Statement on the Precautionary Principle
Web
Site
Given the limitations of science to address emerging environmental
problems, such as endocrine disruption, there is a significant
need for the development of new public policy approaches
to anticipate and prevent harm to human health and the
environment. The question of what society should do in
the face of uncertainty regarding cause and effect relationships
is necessarily a question of public policy, not science.
Several policy analysts confronted with this problem have
proposed a concept called the "precautionary principle"
or the "precautionary approach" (Cameron and Abouchar,
1991 and Dethlefsen, 1993). At the center of the precautionary
principle is the concept of taking anticipatory action
in the absence of complete proof of harm, particularly
when there is scientific uncertainty about causal links
(Jackson, 1993). The precautionary principle states that
decision-makers should act in advance of scientific certainty
to prevent harm to humans and the environment (O'Riordan
and Jordan, 1995). It addresses many of the limitations
of current decision-making methods, such as type II errors,
problems of cumulative effects, and limitations of science.
Precautionary approaches are goal oriented, lending themselves
to technology innovation, pollution prevention, and facility
planning. |
Some
Limits to Global Ecophagy by Biovorous Nanoreplicators,
with Public Policy Recommendations
Freita,
Robert A. "Some Limits to Global Ecophagy by Biovorous
Nanoreplicators, with Public Policy Recommendations" foresightsintitute.org.
April 1, 2000.
Web
Site
In a dense scientific piece Freitas tackles how we might
best control runaway nano devices that could destroy everything.
He writes: "The maximum rate of global ecophagy by biovorous
self-replicating nanorobots is fundamentally restricted
by the replicative strategy employed; by the maximum dispersal
velocity of mobile replicators; by operational energy
and chemical element requirements; by the homeostatic
resistance of biological ecologies to ecophagy; by ecophagic
thermal pollution limits (ETPL); and most importantly
by our determination and readiness to stop them. .. All
ecophagic scenarios examined appear to permit early detection
by vigilant monitoring, thus enabling rapid deployment
of effective defensive instrumentalities." |
The
Next Big Thing Is Small
Longman,
Phillip J. "The Next Big Thing Is Small" U.S. News and
World Report July 3,2000.
Web
Site
US News and World Report explores the military's reasearch
into anti-biological warfare agent "nano-bombs." Note
an interview with a scientist who responds to the recent
calls for limits to the research by arguing 'we are compelled
to keep going, it is just so cool.' |
Attitudes
Towards Biotech
"Attitudes
Towards Biotech" National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation.
October 3, 2001.
As part of the NPR radio talk show "Talk of the Nation"
Author Jeremy Rifkin and Harvard geneticist Philip Leader
debate the need to put on the brakes where gentic engineering
and research are concerned. |
Objective
Force Warrior (OFW).
"Objective
Force Warrior (OFW)." US Army Soldier Systsems Center.2003.
Web
Site
An overview of where the soldier of the future is headed.
The Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies at MIT (http://web.mit.edu/isn/aboutisn/index.html)
will be developing key nanotechnologies over the next
five years to make the Objective Force Warrior possible.
What are the ethics of developing advanced technologies
for war? Military research brought us the ICBM, atomic
weapons, biological warfareand any number of weapons.
But they also gave us radar, atomic energy, rockets for
space exploration and any number of breakthroughs in computer
science and engineering? Where do we draw the line? DO
we draw a line? Will future technologies turn human soldiers
into battle hardened warrior cyborgs? |
Ethical
Issues In Advanced Artificial Intelligence
Bostrom,
Nick, "Ethical Issues In Advanced Artificial Intelligence,"
International Institute of Advanced Studies in Systems
Research and Cybernetics, 2003.
Web
Site
This paper surveys some of the unique ethical issues in
creating superintelligence, and discusses what motivations
we ought to give a superintelligence, and introduces some
cost-benefit considerations relating to whether the development
of superintelligent machines ought to be accelerated or
retarded. |
Genetics
Privacy and Legislation:Recommendations for Future Legislation
"Genetics
Privacy and Legislation:Recommendations for Future Legislation."
Human Genome Project Information. 2003. Note" also
see "Why Legislation is Needed Now."
Web
Site
Thise working on the Human Genome Project outline suggestions
for federal guidlines on the use of personal genetic information
in the future to avoid compromising individual privacy
and discrimination by employers or insurers toward those
who may have markers for genetic afflictions. |
Old
Genies in New Bottles: How to prevent a Singularity from
happening, Part 1
Sterling,
Bruce, "Old Genies in New Bottles: How to prevent a Singularity
from happening," Whole Earth, Spring 2003.
Web
Site
Sterling muses on placing boundaries on exploring new
technologies. |
Old
Genies in New Bottles: How to prevent a Singularity from
happening, Part 2
Sterling,
Bruce, "Old Genies in New Bottles: How to prevent a Singularity
from happening," Whole Earth, Spring 2003.
Web
Site
Sterling muses on placing boundaries on exploring new
technologies. |
Dangers
of Molecular Nanotechnology
Phoenix,
Chris. "Dangers of Molecular Nanotechnology" Center for
Responsible Nanotechnology. crnano.org. April 21,
2003.
Web
Site
The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology explores the
damage that could result if fully developed molecular
nanotechnology is improperly exploited. Among the risks:
Economic disruption from an abundance of cheap products
Economic oppression from artificially inflated prices
Personal risk from criminal or terrorist use Personal
or social risk from abusive restrictions Social disruption
from new products/lifestyles Unstable arms race Free-range
self-replicators (gray goo) Collective environmental damage
from unregulated products Black market in nanotech (increases
other risks) Competing nanotech programs (increases other
risks) Attempted relinquishment (increases other risks)
|
Sci-fi
War Put Under the Microscope
Hearst,
David. "Sci-fi war put under the microscope." The Guardian
UnlimitedMay 20, 2003
Web
Site
Will the battles of tomorrow be fought by bio bugs, robots
and nano killers? The first section of this Guardian article
outlines some thinking scientists are doing about the
uses of nanotechnology in war. If we are concerned now
about atomic weapons proliferation, how concenred should
we be about the possibility in the future of nano weapons
proliferation? |
Future
Technologies, Today?s Choices: Nanotechnology, Artificial
Intelligence and Robotics; A technical, political and
institutional map of emerging technologies.
Arnall,
Alexander Huw. "Future Technologies, Today's Choices:
Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics;
A technical, political and institutional map of emerging
technologies." Environmental Policy and Management
Group, Imperial College
Web
Site
A report for the Greenpeace Environmental Trust. Greenpeace
has entered the debate over the impact of nanotechnology
and AI on the environment and society with a study that
calls for the industry to "demonstrate a commitment to
(environmental concerns) by funding the relevant research
on a far greater scale than currently witnessed." Greenpeace
explores the idea that "quantum dots, nanoparticles, and
other throwaway nanodevices may constitute whole new classes
of non-biodegradable pollutants that scientists have very
little understanding of." |
Future
Technologies, Today's Choices
Arnall,
Alexander, "Future Technologies, Today's Choices." Greenpeace
Environmental Trust, July 2003.
Web
Site
A technical, political, and institutional map of emerging
technologies: nanotechnology, artificial intelligence,and
robotics. |
Making
the Future Safe-Notes from the World Transhumanist Association's
annual conference
Bailey,
Ronald. "Making the Future Safe-Notes from the World Transhumanist
Association's annual conference." resononline.comJuly
2, 2003
Web
Site
Ronald Baily analyzes the debate between Gregory Stock,
director of the University of Calfornia's Program on Medicine,
Technology and Society and George Annas, a Boston University
professor of health law, bioethics and human rights at
the Transhumanist Society's Transvision 2003 held at Yale
to explore the future evolution of the huamn race.
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Machines
that Reproduce May be Reality
Martin,
Mike "Machines that Reproduce May be Reality." www.newsfactor.com
July 10, 2003.
Web
Site
Canadian and European researchers (Peter Turney and Arnold
Smith from the National Research Council of Canada and
Robert Ewaschuk from the University of Waterloo) have
created a digital primordial soup in which digital cellular
automata spontaneously form self-replicating patterns
not unlike DNA. The T-shaped "codons" swim in a computer-generated
virtual liquid forming single, double, and even triple
strands. The researchers think the self-genrating coding
might be useful in developing programs for nanotechnology.
The issue of how to control the self-replication is mentioned
but not resolved. The project is called JohnnyVon.
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CRN
Offers Qualified Endorsement of Greenpeace Nanotech Report
Treder,
Mike, "CRN Offers Qualified Endorsement of Greenpeace
Nanotech Report," Center for Responsible Nanotechnology
Press Release, July 30, 2003.
Web
Site
The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology offers its conditional
support of the Greenpeace report, "Future Technologies,
Today's Choices," about the risks, benefits, and current
status of nanotechnology. |
Cyborg
Liberation Front
Baard,
Erik. "Cyborg Liberation Front" www.villagevoice.com.
July 30, 2003.
Web
Site
Baard covers and then muses on the meaning and direction
of the Transhumanist Movement and a recent conference
held at Yale that addresses what the future may hold,
should hold for the evolution of humans and machines.
He explores concerns about transhumanist goals from both
the right and the left. |
Scientific
Community Struggles to Balance Openness, Security
Munro,
Neil "Scientific Community Struggles to Balance Openness,
Security" National Journal September 05,
2003.
Web
Site
Biologists are trying to balance need for scientific openness
with concerns that their research might aid bioterrorists.
The outcome of this debate will also shape the way the
United States and the world manage such high-impact endeavors
as human clinical trials, genetic engineering, cloning,
nanotechnology and strong AI, each of which carries potential
benefits and risks. |
In
the Mind of the Machine: The Breakthrough in Artificial
Intelligence
Warwick,
Kevin. In the Mind of the Machine: The Breakthrough
in Artificial Intelligence. 1998. Arrow Books.
Web
Site
Kevin Warwick has created robots with the brain power
of a wasp, and may soon have built robots which are not
only more intelligent than humans in some ways, but also
superior in their practical skills. In this book he argues
that humans may be at the mercy of these life forms, and
be treated in the same way as humans treat animals today.
He proposes that there is an urgent need for an anti-proliferation
treaty to prevent these and other even more horrifying
scenarios. |
Future
War: From Ethnic Pathogens To `Nano-Frankensteins
Lowe,
Christian "Future War: From Ethnic Pathogens To `Nano-Frankensteins'"
Defense Week March 22, 2000
Web
Site
Genetically altered diseases that can pinpoint a specific
ethnic group, miniaturized "nanotechnologies" that can
boost a soldier's performance and biological armor that
can heal itself if a soldier is hit-these are among the
technologies that will radically transform future war,
a new study says. |
Self-Replicating
Machines in Continuous Space with Virtual Physic
Smith,
Arnold, Turney, Peter, Ewaschuk, Robert (Corresponding
author). "Self-Replicating Machines in Continuous Space
with Virtual Physics" Artificial Life. 2002.
This experiment called JohnnyVon places self-replicating
machines in continuous two dimensional space. Two types
of particles drift about in a virtual liquid. The particles
are automata with discrete internal states but continuous
external relationships. Their internal states are governed
by finite state machines but their external relationships
are governed by a simulated physics that includes brownian
motion, viscosity, and springlike attractive and repulsive
forces. The particles can be assembled into patterns that
can encode arbitrary strings of bits. We demonstrate that,
if an arbitrary “seed” pattern is put in a
“soup” of separate individual particles, the
pattern will replicate by assembling the individual particles
into copies of itself. We also show that, given sufficient
time, a soup of separate individual particles will eventually
spontaneously form self-replicating patterns. We discuss
the implications of JohnnyVon for research in nanotechnology,
theoretical biology, and artificial life. |
Another
Knowledge, Another World
Another
Knowledge, Another World Mae-Wan Ho Newsletter No. 26
February 2003 Scientists for Global Responsibility.
Web
Site
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, the Director of the Institute of Science
in Society asks if we look at science less as a way to
control the world, perhaps we can create a better one.
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Chaotics:
An Agenda for Business and Society in the 21st Century
Anderla,
Georges; Dunning, Anthony, Forge, Simon. 1997. Chaotics:
An Agenda for Business and Society in the 21st Century.Greenwood
Publishing Group
Web
Site
In the words of one of the authors, self organization
is the quintessence of chaotics. This view that the future
emerges in the same way that beehives and brains and rain
forests emerge, can have a big effect on the way we look
at problems, analyze and solve them and prepare for the
rapid change headed our way. |
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What
Keeps Jaron Lanier Awake at Night
Steffen,
Alex, "What Keeps Jaron Lanier Awake at Night," Whole
Earth, Spring 2003.
Web
Site
Lanier discusses Artificial Intelligence, Cybernetic Totalism,
and the Loss of Common Sense. |
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Return
of the Fleece
Lehrman,
Sally. "Return of the Fleece" ScientificAmerican.comOctober
2003.
Web
Site
Scientific studies that investigate areas that conservative
politicians find offensive of unnecessary are coming under
increasing fire. Critics of the trend fear this could
chill free inqury and turn the public against science.
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Coatings
and Arrays Help Put Medication Where it's Needed
Mason,
Jack, "Coatings and Arrays Help Put Medication Where it's
Needed," Small Times, June 27, 2003.
Web
Site
Small tech is helping medicinal molecules such as proteins,
peptides, genes and vaccines reach the right destination
with greater precision, speed and control. |
Nanomedicine
Fountain,
Henry. "Nanomedicine." New York Times, July 1,
2003.
Web
Site
Scientists from several Japanese universities have created
hollow "nanocages" of proteins that can hold a few molecules
of a drug (or a gene, for use in gene therapy) and bring
them straight to the liver. |
Secret
to Longer Life May Lie in the Mediterranean Diet
"Secret
to Longer Life May Lie in the Mediterranean Diet " youngagain.200.com.
Web
Site
Harvard researchers report that compounds found in red
wine and certain vegetables may be the key to a longer,
healthier life.Researchers discovered that red wine and
grape juice contains an antioxidant called resveratrol,
which prompts the body to produce sirtuins, enzymes that
help repair cells and perhaps extend life. Scientists
think that sirtuins may help plants and animals deal with
stress and that those properties tend to reduce the effects
of oxidants in the body that accelerate aging.
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Where
Are They?
Crawford,
Ian. "Where Are they? - Maybe We Are Alone in the Galaxy
After All." Scientific American. July 2000. pp
38-42.
Web
Site
Crawford explores the Fermi Paradox and wonders why we
haven’t come into contact with at least some advanced
civilizations in the Milky Way when there seem to be millions
of possibilities. There is also a nice sidebar piece included
with this article by Andrew LePage which explores where
extraterrestrials from less-than-super civilizations may
be hiding. |
The
Stars of Project Phoenix: The Best Are Not Always the
Brightest
Backus,
Peter, "The Stars of Project Phoenix: The Best Are Not
Always the Brightest." Project Phoenix Observations,
April 17, 2003.
Web
Site
Description of Project Phoenix, which unlike other SETI
programs targets individual stars rather than scanning
the sky. |
Information
in the Holographic Universe
Bekenstein,
Jacob D., "Information in the Holographic Universe." Scientific
American, August 2003.
Web
Site
Theoretical results about black holes suggest that the
universe could be like a gigantic hologram. |
The
High Frontier
O'Neill,
G. K., The High Frontier, Space Studies Institute
Press, Princeton, New Jersey (1976)
Web
Site
An exploration of how one might build near Earth space
colonies and how they could contribute to solving
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The
Biological Universe
Dick,
S. J., The Biological Universe, Cambridge University
Press (1996)
Web
Site
Dick is perhaps the world expert on the history of SETI.
He works at U.S. Naval Observatory which has a long astronomical
history. There are more than 20 pages about the history
of the Fermi Paradox as well as a number of pages on interstellar
travel. |
Where
is Everybody?
Webb,
S., Where is Everybody?, Copernicus Books (2002)
Web
Site
Discusses 50 solutions to the Fermi Paradox. Spreading
into the universe should probably not be discussed without
reading many of these. |
Counting
on Distant Worlds: Math as an Interstellar Language
Vakoch,
Douglas, "Counting on Distant Worlds: Math as an Interstellar
Language," SPACE.com May 8, 2003.
Web
Site
Because we cannot count on the universality of mathematics
for interstellar communication, we will need to invent
languages allowing for some kind of mapping which allows
us to understand ‘vaguely’ rather than with
certainty. |
Intergalactically
Speaking
Swenson,
George W. Jr. Intergalactically Speaking. Scientific
American, July 2000; pp 43-47.
A hard headed look at and analysis of the kinds of technologies
needed to improve the likelihood of making contact with
extraterrestrial life ... if it’s out there. The
vastness and vagaries of intergalactic space will force
interstellar correspondents to be extremely creative in
the technologies they use to make contact. |
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"Time
Without End in the Universe"
Dyson,
F. J., "Reviews of Modern Physics, Vol. 51, No.
3, p. 447-460, (July 1979). Also in "Selected Papers of
Freeman Dyson", American Mathematical Society, pp. 529-542
(1996)
Web
Site
One of the first papers that postulated that one may be
able to survive for an infinite amount of time in an expanding
universe. |
The
Five Ages of the Universe
Adams,
F. & Laughlin, G., The Five Ages of the Universe:
Inside the Physics of Eternity, Touchstone Books (January
15, 2000)
Web
Site
The definitive reference for the evolutionary and computational
environments the Universe may go through as it ages.
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