IBM announces advances toward a computer that works like a human brain • Hacker News Board

Re: IBM announces advances toward a computer that works like a human brain

#21

Post by wglb » Wed, Nov 18, 2009, 7:08 PM UTC

a-priori wrote: post #19

wglb wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you have nailed it. I don't actually think we have a clue as to how the brain actually works. A while ago, we think it is like a telephone exchange, then we think it is like a computer, then we think it is like the cloud. The true advances in interesting computer results comes not from modeling the brain, but more from low-grade mimicking of the evolutionary process.

A while ago, we think it is like a telephone exchange, then we think it is like a computer, then we think it is like the cloud. There's a big difference between a metaphor and a theory. No one actually thinks the brain works like a computer. It's just a useful metaphor for working memory and other psychological phenomena. Quite far removed from the neuroscience underlying it. The true advances in interesting computer…

Biologically Inspiried Algorithms, in particular Genetic Algorithms and Genetic Programming.

Re: IBM announces advances toward a computer that works like a human brain

#22

Post by a-priori » Wed, Nov 18, 2009, 7:14 PM UTC

wglb wrote: post #21

a-priori wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A while ago, we think it is like a telephone exchange, then we think it is like a computer, then we think it is like the cloud. There's a big difference between a metaphor and a theory. No one actually thinks the brain works like a computer. It's just a useful metaphor for working memory and other psychological phenomena. Quite far removed from the neuroscience underlying it. The true advances in interesting computer…

Biologically Inspiried Algorithms, in particular Genetic Algorithms and Genetic Programming.

I would argue that brain simulations are the ultimate "biologically-inspired algorithm".

Re: IBM announces advances toward a computer that works like a human brain

#23

Post by ballpark » Wed, Nov 18, 2009, 8:49 PM UTC

ballpark wrote: post #15

Man is working so hard to learn and recreate the human body. However, many believe that the human body was created by chance and chaos.

Could someone tell me why my comments were downvoted? Was it because the downvoter disagreed? Why not polite discussion rather than downvoting?

Re: IBM announces advances toward a computer that works like a human brain

#24

Post by joe_the_user » Wed, Nov 18, 2009, 8:53 PM UTC

a-priori wrote: post #19

wglb wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you have nailed it. I don't actually think we have a clue as to how the brain actually works. A while ago, we think it is like a telephone exchange, then we think it is like a computer, then we think it is like the cloud. The true advances in interesting computer results comes not from modeling the brain, but more from low-grade mimicking of the evolutionary process.

A while ago, we think it is like a telephone exchange, then we think it is like a computer, then we think it is like the cloud. There's a big difference between a metaphor and a theory. No one actually thinks the brain works like a computer. It's just a useful metaphor for working memory and other psychological phenomena. Quite far removed from the neuroscience underlying it. The true advances in interesting computer…

Arguably, some late-sixties AI really did think an imperative program could simulate human intelligence.

It seems like there has been enough research that present day researchers don't think the brain is very much like either a single-CPU computer or "the cloud". This indicates some progress.

If anything, I'd say contemporary research seems to err towards mostly doing simulation rather than attempting to understand what "general intelligence" is. This has different dangerous - if we really really wind-up able to build intelligent machines but are not able understand them, dangers that were once confined to sci-fi will become more real.

Re: IBM announces advances toward a computer that works like a human brain

#25

Post by clevercode » Wed, Nov 18, 2009, 11:52 PM UTC

davi wrote: post #3

http://www.modha.org/ has much more detail: "The model reproduces a number of physiological and anatomical features of the mammalian brain. The key functional elements of the brain, neurons, and the connections between them, called synapses, are simulated using biologically derived models. The neuron models include such key functional features as input integration, spike generation and firing rate adaptation, while t…

I heartily agree with your skepticism.

In my opinion, rather than attempting to simulate progressively larger brains, we should instead focus on really nailing the details of smaller ones, perhaps starting with insects.

As an example, Portia jumping spiders display very complex hunting behaviors, including trial-and-error learning in novel circumstances. Even with tiny eyes, they have the visual acuity of a cat. However, unlike a cat, they are only able to see a small portion of the visual field at a time, and must therefore scan the environment, keeping the rest of what has been scanned in memory. Portia spiders are known to spend up to an hour "analyzing" their environment before deciding on a course of action! Their sharp eyesight allows them to recognize the species of the spider they are currently stalking. One common tactic is to pluck deceptively at the web of their victim in order to manipulate it into reacting and moving into a more favorable position before the attack. Different species of spiders will respond in different ways, and so the Portia learn to intelligently apply different patterns of plucking to fit the circumstances. When encountering an unknown type of spider, Portia will try various experimental plucking motions, the successful results of which will be remembered and reused correctly in future attacks.

This amazingly rich and adaptive behavior it somehow manages to produce with a mere 500k neurons; about 2000 times less than the number used by Blue Gene in the experiment.