From: Emeka Okafor (eokafor@earthlink.net)
Date: Fri Feb 04 2005 - 21:05:18 MST
>From robots.net
http://robots.net/article/1412.html
According to a University of Reading press release, Dr. James Anderson of Reading's Department of Computer Science has developed a new way to write computer programs. Instead of code, he uses a geometrical structure that he calls a perspective simplex or Perspex. A Perspex exists in Perspex space and, it is claimed, can do anything a computer program written as instructions of code can do. The developer alleges the Pespex "provides one solution to the centuries-old problem of how mind arises in physical bodies" and "provides a model that is accurate enough for a robot to use to describe its own mind and body". Dr. Anderson details his invention in "The Book of Paragon" which provides a detailed explanation of the Perspex Machine (PDF format). Meanwhile, the University website has further information under the more mundane name of "New Artificial Neuron" and includes the bizarre statement "In theory, perspex neurons could process an infinitely long program and thereby become omniscient, but, in practice, physical limitations force them to work only with finite programs".
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