Psychology Information

Artificial Intelligence - What Have We Learned Through Natural Ignorance?


During the late '80s and early '90s, I had the opportunity to work with expert systems in real-time production environments. I found artificial intelligence, or AI, to be thoroughly intriguing. I even went so far as to write an expert system package, under Microsoft Windows, called WindExS. However, as I continued my work, and expanded into other areas of knowledge management and, eventually, remote viewing, I began to find some unusual inconsistencies in the AI world and the desires to create "truly intelligent" and "thinking" machines.

One of the issues that people usually claim as a requirement of true intelligence is that "one must have a soul." These ideas and dabbling prompted me to write a short screenplay entitled "Sylvie," which was the story of an "emotionally intelligent" system. That small inkling of creativity still did not allow me to delve as deeply into the topic as I had wanted. However, it did bring up the question: "what is a soul?"

--- What is AI? ---

AI is the science and engineering of making machines intelligent, especially through the creation of intelligent software. It is similar to the task of using computers to understand human intelligence, but AI does not have to confine itself to methods that are biologically observable. Intelligence is the computational part of the ability to define a plan and achieve goals. Different types and levels of intelligence occur in people, animals, and some machines. However, the ultimate premise behind creating an intelligent machine is the ability to think creatively, solve problems using abstract information, and devise new solutions.

--- The Biological Parallel Computer ---

Consider the vast amount of information that we acquire and process every day. It is difficult to imagine that so much information and activity could be stored in such a small amount of tissue and fluid. Scientists have been theorizing that, indeed, the mind is not as much of a storage device as it is a communications device to some larger "knowledge base." The mind appears to be a way to pre-process data for storage and a way to analyze data for use while all the time maintaining a connection for data storage and acquisition with this knowledge base.

This knowledge base surrounds us with information and intelligence. Everything that every creature in the Universe knows, and will ever know, is stored and made available for us by simply asking for it. However, accessing it requires a connection, a field, which connects us all together in a large "bio-circuit." It can be seen as a "biological parallel computing environment." The information presented by this bio-circuit consists of a limitless and accessible Universal source of knowledge.

--- Why be creative? ---

I remember my days in school where I was taught that, indeed, daydreaming and excessive creativity could destroy your life. However, the important thing that I learned along the way is that, without creativity, there can be no progress. Creativity is a way to expand one's consciousness by taking abstract ideas and turning them into a new reality. It is a way to take what you know as an absolute, and stretch it into the unknown. Each stretch takes you further and expands your absolutes along the way.

Without creativity, you would do the same things that you've always done in life without ever moving forward or backward. Consider it as being "caught in a rut." You can't leave the rut because you can't figure out how to get out of it. When you think creatively, you're taking things that you know, applying it to things that you don't, and devising a solution to achieve a goal.

To access the vast resources of creativity, the mind reaches into the bio-circuit and extracts bits and pieces of information that it can use to create intelligent solutions. By developing your creative abilities, you are opening that circuit to more knowledge, a greater intellect, and a broader understanding of life.

--- What is the soul anyway? ---

A discussion of creativity once again brings up the question of: "what is the soul?" After some thought and evaluation, I would have to say that the soul is the link, the transceiver, between our physical world and the bio-circuit. It is the living essence of everything within each of us.

By closing ourselves off into our own worlds and hiding our souls under the muck and mire of challenges, we close off our connection to the bio-circuit. Our soul essentially dies and we become a stand-alone computer with only the knowledge we have saved as our guide. However, by working to bring your soul forward and using your creativity in everything you do, you can acquire knowledge from every part of the Universe.

--- True AI ---

Scientists have tried to mimic the way the human brain functions. Storage, processing, intelligence, and self-learning are all components of AI. However, what if the basic premise of how the brain functions was --- wrong? Indeed, it provides control over our bodies and accepts stimuli; however, what if the ideas of processing, intelligence, storage, and self-learning all truly based on the connection of our minds with the bio-circuit. In this way, to create a mimic of the human intellect, we must understand how we interact with each other through the bio-circuit.

--- What's next? ---

What an unusual foray into strange territory. However, this has been a general concept that has been eating at me for years. It wasn't until I began remote viewing that I was able to see and apply the ideas of Universal intelligence to the ideas of artificial intelligence. I am not going to say that, in this context, a machine cannot have a soul, as stranger things have happened. However, I will say that the true nature of intelligence will not be realized until we understand and believe the true purpose and function of the soul.

About The Author

Edward B. Toupin is an author, remote viewer, life-strategy coach, counselor, and technical writer living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he authors books, articles, and screenplays on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. For more information, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his sites at http://www.toupin.com or http://www.make-life-great.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

ECB's Draghi Says Extent of Crisis Depends on `Psychology'
Bloomberg - 12 hours ago
... member Mario Draghi said the depth and length of credit crisis depends on the ``root psychology of investors'' and ``you cannot change that overnight. ...


Some see crowd psychology, not logic, at play in nose dive
Denver Post, CO - 5 hours ago
Instead, the market has become a case study in the psychology of crowds, many experts say. In normal times, it runs on a healthy mix of fear and greed. ...


5 coping strategies for these anxious times
Chicago Tribune, United States - 9 hours ago
Yoga instructor Erica Rumpel, who is pursuing a master's degree in clinical psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, says "as soon as ...


Psychology of fear' prevails as cotton prices plummet to new lows
LubbockOnline.com, TX - 5 hours ago
A "psychology of fear" ruled cotton futures last week as the market set three new contract lows in a row. Benchmark December finished Thursday at a contract ...


TRADING PSYCHOLOGY
istockAnalyst.com (press release), OR - 19 hours ago
An understanding of mass psychology is often more important than an understanding of economics. Markets are driven by human beings making human errors and ...


Our psychology helps politicians bend the truth
New Scientist (subscription), UK - Oct 10, 2008
But psychology is also at work. The short cuts that we use to make sense of the world shape our perception of it. When it comes to politics, this can lead ...


The Spoof (satire)

Psychology of Democrats vs. Republicans: LAUGHTER
The Spoof (satire), UK - 18 hours ago
Democrat and Republican joust over presidential candidates. The Democrat is the one with the pointed, metrosexual shoes. Republicans laugh in response to ...


Florida State University celebrates psychology building grand opening
Tallahassee.com, FL - Oct 10, 2008
Florida State University celebrated the grand opening Friday of its new, $56 million psychology building on West Call Street. The psychology department was ...
New FSU Psychology Building WCTV
New Psychology Building Opens at Florida State University WCTV
FSU to hold grand opening for psychology building Tallahassee.com
all 4 news articles


marathoners running with a purpose
Chicago Daily Herald, IL - 6 hours ago
She went on to get her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana and is currently pursuing her master's degree in school psychology at ...


Bipolar disorder also afflicts children, study finds
Los Angeles Times, CA - Oct 11, 2008
The research, published in Archives of General Psychology this week, said that 44% of those who had manic episodes as children continued having them as ...
Bipolar Disorder Also Lingers In Children, Study Says AHN
Life of the party may be at risk Sydney Morning Herald
all 16 news articles

Psychology - Google News

home | site map
© 2006