Can a computer write a poem?

[Lee Messer]

While popular amongst neuroscientists, and the most likely, the idea that the mind is entirely computational is still debated. There are theories such as the Penrose-Hameroff theory that model parts of the brain as a superposition, and hence non-computational.



Current AI architectures are not nearly as complex as the brain. In terms of raw weights the biggest networks are close to the number of neuronal connections - but raw numbers don't mean much. Counter-intuitively too many connections is probably the problem, hence the recent uptake of sparse models. We see this in babies - far denser networks than adults but can't even control their bowels, only when those connections are pruned do they manifest more sophisticated behaviours.



The question should be what is the human brain doing. There is growing evidence to suggest that it is 'running equations'; it is the prevalent view of neuroscientists. If so, then Lee has a point about the substrate being irrelevant.

Precisely, a bigger question that should blow your mind. Why is thought so prevalent in this reality? There are other realities, but this one seems to be tied closer to this manifestation. It's not uncommon. Hang out with a dog or a cat. Interact with them. I've even seen snakes and insects able to learn to not be aggressive depending the interaction. It's not all instinct. There's something there. Computers are programmed by such fleshly beings. Why would they be any different?

I mean if a computer was originally programmed by itself and abstract, it would be such. It's all in the logic, and logic is discovered, not created.

[TL Murphy]

logic is discovered, not created.

If a tree fell in the forest and no one heard it, would there still be logic? Ask a computer that question. It would probably say that the first part has nothing to do with the second part. But, of course, by association, it's the same question, but the mind leaps over the inconvenient part that logically makes the two parts appear to be different issues.

[Lee Messer]

Yes.

If there are two things, would you say that there are two things, and not just one thing, or even three or more things?

Is this statement true? If so, I'd say logic exists.

True things exist. Untrue is the definition of things that don't.

[TL Murphy]

The answer doesn't matter. It's the question that's important.

[Lee Messer]

Then we should program the computer to ask questions...

[alpacinoutd]

I better hope a computer cannot write poems. It would be rather boring. Computers are devoid of emotion.