Derek Zahn: you have to have a theory of mind One of the interesting things about current AGI projects like Ben's & Stan F's (is there any other?) is that they do indeed constitute not so much theories as models of mind - illustrated by charts in Ben's essay on Kurzweil's site. In essence, they are saying: "this is the minimum structure that you need to create an artifical mind."
And that really lays the ground for two new branches of AI/ Psychology. There should be a Systems AGI just as there is now a Systems Biology, whose role is to consider and discuss alternative models of artificial minds - and argue about what is and is not necessary. In essence, BTW those models lay the foundation for an open-source AGI - if AI-ers can achieve some consensus about the basic departments that are necessary for a viable artificial mind, then they will have a crude open-source blueprint. In parallel, there is a need for Systems Psychology, whose role is to present overall models of human and animal minds, which (like Ben's charts) present the main departments of mind, and how they are located in the brain. Psychology does not at the moment present such overall models, only bits and pieces. People can't even agree about what consciousness consists of - and forget the 'hard problem', we're talking here just about things like the basic senses - precisely because there are no overall models of the conscious mind. Ideally such models should become ever more sophisticated, complex 3-d dynamic models (& not just charts). Ultimately, of course, Systems Psychology & SYstems Biology should link up. ----- This list is sponsored by AGIRI: http://www.agiri.org/email To unsubscribe or change your options, please go to: http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=231415&user_secret=e9e40a7e