Headline Jan2,2012 / SELF AWARENESS IN MACHINES

THE POST HUMAN ERA
SELF AWARE MACHINES

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the universe is winning."  - Rich Cook

Humans are albeit organic machines. We have awareness. We have souls.

These days, we want more.
We want machines that will look out for our interests, not ones that can parse the difference between other computers and computer scientists. So far, the system closest to self awareness has been the Siri Software. We would still want more.  We want machines that will take care of us.  This new year may bring cameras that know how to make people look as good as possible.

Automation has replaced many lower level jobs. And we'll probably be seeing higher level jobs being replaced.

What would make a machine capable of thinking, intelligent and self-aware?  The only difference between mindless machines, or macromolecules, and a 'mind', is intentionality - the ability to act by conscious decision. And to be able to reason.

There are two approaches to the difficult problem of automating reasoning. The first is cognitive, which aims to devise and experiment with models of human cognition. The second is computational – attempting to build computational systems that model part of human reasoning. Automated diagrammatic reasoning could be the key to making computer reasoning systems more powerful, as well as to providing the necessary tools to study and explore the nature of human reasoning. We might then have a new means to investigate the amazing ability of the human brain to solve problems.

The technological progress has been accelerating in this century. Scientists believe within 30 years, they could create technological means to build superhuman intelligence. That's when the human era will end and fiction may come alive.