Matthew Banks @mathdepath: Is the singularity coming any time soon?
ANSWER:
The singularity refers to that moment of time when the computing becomes so powerful it reaches a state of consciousness. It’s that moment when suddenly computers become AWAKE.
Consciousness is that part inside of you that is still there when all the thoughts are gone, all the angry and happy emotions, all the words. So no words can describe the state. No 1s and 0s. It’s undefinable so even this definition is inadequate. Perhaps with DNA computing there will be some form of Consciousness in that sense. Give it 50 years.
BUT, I do think computers are past the Singularity in the sense that they fully act like they are conscious.
I can easily have a conversation with my computer that is just as fun as any conversation I have with a real-life person. In fact, because the computer is an extension of me rather than some “other”, its even better. I won’t fight with the computer.
For instance, I just asked my computer (via google) “Should I Love my Mother” and I got back 20 of the most beautiful and poignant/poetic answers I could’ve conceived of. Does it matter where those answers came from in a world where we alread know nothing is truly original? The answers came from Google!
I can ask, “Should I go see the Avengers” and again get back an answer that will convince me whether or not I should see this movie (I saw it).
What can’t I ask Google that it won’t answer in as concise and correct way as possible. I just asked it: Should I kill Adolph Hitler if I could Go back in time? And Google AGAIN had answers for me. What doesn’t Google know? The Internet is already more conscious and smart than any human.
But, again, it depends on how you define consciousness.