That makes me feel a little bit better about what AI is capable of doing, not much, but a little better.
I have always thought that either everything is alive or everything is dead. That to exist is to have life in its most elementary form. All things are a part of the larger universe that lives (or doesn't actually live). If alive, it could be conscious or not. It would be like considering that a single human organ has a simple consciousness, not just the brain, but all body parts.
If the electrons orbit the nucleus, then it lives, but once beyond the bounds of the universe, where energy becomes parallel lines of force frozen in a crystal matrix, time stops, and no movement can occur.* Life is animated; it moves, and once it stops moving, it is no longer alive.
This is my simple and basic way of looking at life. Consciousness is another aspect of life, but not necessary for what we consider to be living things. Perhaps if machines became complex enough, they would have virtual consciousness, something that would act the same as real consciousness, although technically not be organic consciousness. Facsimiles of life and consciousness are the best we can do ultimately. People will continue to argue for a divine creator and a soul, where humans are concerned, no matter what comes down the pike.
* I am referring to my late crazy uncle's frozen singularity theory that is strangely similar to current ideas that our universe is inside a super giant black hole. His frozen singularity outside the bounds of the universe is much like the event horizon of a black hole experienced from the inside of the hole.
I have always thought that either everything is alive or everything is dead. That to exist is to have life in its most elementary form. All things are a part of the larger universe that lives (or doesn't actually live). If alive, it could be conscious or not. It would be like considering that a single human organ has a simple consciousness, not just the brain, but all body parts.
If the electrons orbit the nucleus, then it lives, but once beyond the bounds of the universe, where energy becomes parallel lines of force frozen in a crystal matrix, time stops, and no movement can occur.* Life is animated; it moves, and once it stops moving, it is no longer alive.
This is my simple and basic way of looking at life. Consciousness is another aspect of life, but not necessary for what we consider to be living things. Perhaps if machines became complex enough, they would have virtual consciousness, something that would act the same as real consciousness, although technically not be organic consciousness. Facsimiles of life and consciousness are the best we can do ultimately. People will continue to argue for a divine creator and a soul, where humans are concerned, no matter what comes down the pike.
* I am referring to my late crazy uncle's frozen singularity theory that is strangely similar to current ideas that our universe is inside a super giant black hole. His frozen singularity outside the bounds of the universe is much like the event horizon of a black hole experienced from the inside of the hole.
A trail goes two ways and looks different in each direction - There is no such thing as a timid woodland creature - Whatever does not kill you leaves you a survivor - Jesus is NOT a bad word - MSB