Emergence of behavior through software

btanksley@hifn.com btanksley@hifn.com
Wed, 4 Oct 2000 09:21:46 -0700


From: Alik Widge [mailto:aswst16+@pitt.edu]

>--On Sunday, October 01, 2000 7:17 PM -0700 "Lynn H. Maxson" 

>I agree --- currently, humans have volition, software doesn't. 
>However, 
>given that we don't know what causes volition, why do you 
>believe that it 
>is guaranteed not to be generateable algorithmically?

I agree that volition *may* be producible in software.  I furthermore agree
that it's a very worthy topic for research.  However, the problem is that,
as you say, we know nothing about volition.  We don't have the faintest
inkling about how to make volition.

Therefore, I would rather either

1) Claim that Tunes cannot be started until volition is achieved, and divert
all work to discovering how to create software volition.

2) Base Tunes on something else.

That's it.

-Billy