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When can we say something is "alive"?


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#21 Reedbeta

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Posted 03 February 2013 - 04:53 PM

Yes, I agree - for some reason some people tend to use "alive" to mean conciousness, forgetting that literally almost everything on Earth is alive, or at least has some alive bacteria growing on it...

I was watching a Star Trek episode yesterday, and Spock said something like "This planet has no life on it, except for a few flora." The planet was covered with grass, flowers, bushes, and trees...I'd think that deserves more respect than "no life, except"!
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#22 geon

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Posted 03 February 2013 - 10:40 PM

read mine

#23 Schoening

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Posted 07 February 2013 - 07:49 AM

@Reedbeta Most Illogical spock!

@geon Ah, yes :) Well it's hard to say isn't it. Ignoring any beliefs or ideas without evidence occurring in nature aside; We are computers, we just happen to be made of different materials and don't require the same power-source.
To your point of a state of death, Computers just decompose a hell of a lot slower then we do! (?)

I want to say: "Well... I just don't feeeel that a computer/AI is alive" But I find it interesting how I just I got no argument.. Programs react to events.
A is pressed => Do B. But go down far enough into the brain and you find that too.

-this is my noanswer-

#24 Stainless

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Posted 07 February 2013 - 09:39 AM

I have yet to be convinced that humans are intelligent, on the train journey to the office today I certainly saw no evidence of conscious thought, and precious little awareness of the environment.





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