From: Ben Goertzel (ben@goertzel.org)
Date: Fri May 03 2002 - 18:27:01 MDT
> > The Singularity is not a complex nonlinear dynamical
> > process - it is alive
>
> I don't see how you can say the Singularity is "alive." How are
> you defining life? Normally it is defined in terms of metabolism
> and reproduction.
p.s.
Modern systems biology teaches us rather well that living systems are
*particular examples of complex nonlinear systems*.
There are many hundreds of references to this effect in the Santa Fe
Institute technical report archives. Alan Perelson's work on the nonlinear
dynamics of the mammalian immune system for instance.
Also, nonlinear dynamics in the brain has been very much studied, see e.g.
Walter Freeman's outstanding and pioneering (though not uncontroversial)
work.
In short, "complex nonlinear dynamical process" and "alive" are not
dichotomous, the latter is a subclass of the former.
I still however think it is a non-sequitur to say "the Singularity... is
alive"
-- Ben G
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