X-Message-Number: 11813
Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 16:51:19 -0400
From: Brook Norton <>
Subject: improved brain materials

Mr Davis said:  

>>Perhaps there is some unique feature of the organically-constructed
brain, >something about the structure or function achieved by the
particular use 

of >carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosporous, etc.--the "organic"
>materials--which simply cannot be achieved in an alternate medium.  But
>barring that, and supposing a thorough understanding of the details of
>structure and function of the one machine, what would suggest that a
second >machine of alternate--dare I say "better"--materials would not be
>theoretically designable and constructable?<  

I agree that some other material to construct a conscious machine should
be possible and preferable.  That machine needs to honor whatever it is
about biological brains that give them consciousness, but once that
mechanism is understood, look out.  Technology ought to be able to improve
on it, miniturize it, speed it up, WAY up.  Not only that but expand the
comprehension levels to be aware of entire fields of study that our
biological brains are incapable of comprehending in any amount of time.  

BUT, this improved brain might not be a simulation only.  It will have to


honor whatever it is that makes us conscious... perhaps a standing wave of
some kind as Ettinger speculates.  

Brook Norton  

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