silber@voodoo.ucsb.edu (06/17/89)
A number of previous messages speculated about the possibilty that the process called earthly-natural-evolution is either intelligent or a life-form in its own right or both. This suggests to me questions about the granularity of intelligence. Does intelligence require a certain granularity which implies the existence of 'individuals' (distinguishable, discrete, intelligent agents)? If one does not insist upon a certain 'granularity' requirement, one just bumps into the notion of a big universal-mind-thing, or teleological totality.
mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant) (07/23/89)
From article <2006@hub.ucsb.edu>, by silber@voodoo.ucsb.edu: > > A number of previous messages speculated about the possibilty that > the process called earthly-natural-evolution is either intelligent > or a life-form in its own right or both. This suggests to me questions > about the > granularity of intelligence. Does intelligence require a certain > granularity which implies the existence of 'individuals' (distinguishable, > discrete, intelligent agents)? If one does not insist upon a certain > 'granularity' requirement, one just bumps into the notion of a > big universal-mind-thing, or teleological totality. Good question. I would say that intelligence is a property of a system, The system might be unique, or one of a manufactured series, or a member of an evolved species. I just has to think, or something like that, that is, behave in a way we call intelligent. That means it's a thing. In one sense, evolution is a principle. But the collection of species it has generated, together with the substantive mechanisms by which it works, including the interactions between species and with their environment, can be considered collectively as a thing. It is a system and a process embodied in matter. If you could disperse the matter, it would stop. M. B. Brilliant Marty AT&T-BL HO 3D-520 (201) 949-1858 Holmdel, NJ 07733 att!hounx!marty1 or marty1@hounx.ATT.COM Disclaimer: Opinions stated herein are mine unless and until my employer explicitly claims them; then I lose all rights to them.