Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #02016
To: Sean crowbar@top.monad.net
From: James Wilson jameswilson@globalserve.net
Date: Sun, 04 Apr 1999 18:13:27 -0400
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: a simple challenge
True. If you had read the original message you would have read exactly
what you wrote. The point is there is a point at which it makes more
sense to use a CPU to complete tasks instead of trying to wire them.
The complexity of the tasks will dictate the necessity of a CPU.
I am interested in your opinion and mine are always offered freely,
however, "is simply saying that one lacks the necessary knowledge" is
neither fair or productive. If you need to insult me or others who are
simply expressing ideas and opinions then you are not welcome in this
forum.
The main focus of using a CPU is to use a language like LISP to program
in. LISP is a recursive language that is able to alter its own code as
it is executed. This allows a machine to learn and adapt and have a
memory, all functions that can not be hard wired in. For example if I
were to place two light sources on a table one that is significantly
brighter than the other and place a photovore on the table the behaviour
would be quite predictable, the vore would simply track the bright
light. Now if I were to place a predator beside the bright light the
vore would simply be eaten and that would be the end no matter how many
times I tried it the same thing would occur. Now if I were to place a
vore with a CPU and the ability adapt and learn it would at first do the
same thing but after realizing that at the brightest light source there
was a bad monster waiting it would not again (maybe after several tries)
revisit the bright light. This type of behaviour can not be simply hard
wired and I believe it to be impossible as it requires changes to its
initial "program" to avoid being eaten.
James
Sean wrote:
>
> To say that a robot cannot do something without a CPU is simply saying that one lacks the necessary knowledge to build a robot without a CPU that performs the desired task. After all, all a CPU is composed of is simple logic gates. The advantage a CPU has is that it can be easily modified, and its function can be changed. BUT! Even the most complicated computer program can be hard wired, that is, built out of logic components, without a CPU. As long as there is no necessity to load a different program, there is no necessity of a CPU.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eGroup home: http://www.eGroups.com/list/alt-beam
Free Web-based e-mail groups by eGroups.com
Home