X-Message-Number: 4334
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: Neural Nets and computers
Date: Tue, 2 May 1995 17:01:23 -0700 (PDT)

I will begin by saying that it is difficult to argue about definitions. If
one or the other of the gentlemen who wrote on this question wish to stick with
their definition, and do so consistently, then I cannot argue with the logic
of their decision.

However: if computers are to be defined as anything which manipulates
information, there does seem to me to be a problem in that the definition is 
far too broad. For instance, if we discuss uploading then what I take to be
the basic idea of uploading (that somehow computers are superior material
receptacles for our Selves) fades away into the mist. The only thing an

advocate of uploading is saying, then, is that someday we can transfer 
ourselvesto another better object for manipulating information. Biologically 
based
objects are entirely within the ambit of this definition. In fact, the notion
of uploading itself becomes a bit obscure (recall that neural nets, among 
other things, don't have their memory uploaded into them, they are trained). 
So just what will happen between us and this other superior creature/thing.
object/set of circuits/whatnot? 

This definition also raises other questions. Some computers (in fact, many, 

though usually people aren't noticing them) are designed to do one specific job.
Does this mean that they cannot count as computers because they cannot imitate
a Turing machine? For that matter, is a SLIDE RULE a computer? Is a filing 

cabinet a computer? (Remember that it keeps items of information safe, and 
therefore manipulates them, at least in a broad sense). 

Don't think that I'm trying to be difficult. A good definition should
distinguish those things it's authors want to distinguish from other things 
that they do not. Among its other problems, the 2 suggestions for definitions
so far seem to make the whole issue of uploading sound very strange, saying
no more than that we can someday improve ourselves. Yes, I think we can someday
improve ourselves too, but what happened to uploading?

			Best and long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson


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