Simulated Cat Brain Heralds the End of the World

[Yog Sothoth]

OLD news is old... This story was on popsci, newscientist and other science news web sites at least two weeks ago.

Sorry for that, but I feel that if the Escapist is to continue reporting "light" science news that they should at least be timely about it.

Also, there has been some contention in the scientific community concerning the validity of the claims that IBM has made about this project...

 

[Kollega]

Reading it while Terminator tune plays in the background is HILARIOUS! It's only a matter of time before all our bases are belong to CATS (can't believe no-one did that one).


Well, at least cats are, in essence, like humans - smart and lazy. Some selfish, some helpful, some just apathetic. At least they don't bark at you and don't try to chew your balls off like dogs.

 

[Sonicron]

No, no, NO! What the hell?! It's like the guys at IBM don't want humanity to be the dominant species anymore.

 

[SilentHunter7]

OT: This is a bit confusing. So.. It's a simulated cat brain, but it's not capable of thinking like a cat... Did they just attempt to simulate the hardware without the O/S, or what?

I'm assuming they're simulating an adult cat's brain. If that were the case, then it would lack all the lifetime experiences, memories, and conditioned responses of a real cat. It would be like if a full-grown cat just popped into existence. Without experiencing a childhood, I can't imagine it, or any animal, would behave normally either.

I also imagine the absence of hormones would affect thought patterns.

Edit: Wow, that's a whole lot deeper than I intended it to be... Suddenly the idea of having a simulated lifeform in this fashion makes me feel a lot less comfortable.

100 times slower than a cat eh?

Why don't they try making something with a more simple brain like a rat or a toad or Paris Hilton?

They did. They simulated an entire Rat's brain 2 years ago. I'm sure Paris Hilton is coming in a few months.

 

[Nova5]

OT: This is a bit confusing. So.. It's a simulated cat brain, but it's not capable of thinking like a cat... Did they just attempt to simulate the hardware without the O/S, or what?

I'm assuming they're simulating an adult cat's brain. If that were the case, then it would lack all the lifetime experiences, memories, and conditioned responses of a real cat. It would be like if a full-grown cat just popped into existence. Without experiencing a childhood, I can't imagine it, or any animal, would behave normally either.

Edit: Wow, that's a whole lot deeper than I intended it to be... Suddenly the idea of having a simulated lifeform in this fashion makes me feel a lot less comfortable.

Hmm, well that makes sense. I wonder if it has any innate instincts of a cat...

Our kitten (who didn't get to stick around her mother any longer than she needed to to survive, sadly) actually has quite a few natural instincts all cats seem to exhibit, like wanting to bury food, burying her crap, and bathing herself, despite never having actually seen her mother perform these actions (insofar as I'm aware, anyway). Not like a supercomputer could emulate that function, even if it wanted to.

 

[Ekonk]

I will quote a line that I think they should've put in "The Matrix":

"Because the machine is the child of man... and like father, like son."

Point taken. It's worth noticing that human myths are full of father-murderers and murdered fathers.

 

[Diablini]

Crap.

Get me John Connor on the phone! Now!

 

[Cowabungaa]

Cylons here we come, and they're not ruled by the likes of Tricia Helfer, but my Mister Fluffykins... We're sooooo fucked.

 

[AceDiamond]

100 times slower than a cat eh?

Why don't they try making something with a more simple brain like a rat or a toad or Paris Hilton?

Hey now there's no need for that.


I mean think of how the rat or the toad would feel being compared to Paris Hilton.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Wonder what the lolcat caption will be for this one

 

[UtopiaV1]

I feel sorry for my dogs. They hate cats when they're NOT overpowered supercomputers.

Can you imagine trying to take that bloody thing to the vets?... sorry, PC World?...

 

[The_Healer]

Quick! Design the Dog Simulating super-computer!

It will get rid of that pesky cat for sure...

 

[ottenni]

Why cats? Now were all going to get enslaved. Why not dogs? That'd be funny. DEATH BY SLOBBER!

 

[Jared]

Cats. They always get you in the end.

They are just waiting for there moment to pounce! Then its all over!

 

[MagnetoHydroDynamics]

I am a trans-humanist and this has made my day!
One step closer to a real AI.

What do you do with a real AI?
Make it do house chores? No
Make it treat the sick? No
Make it go to war? No
You make it improve itself! Boom! Tech-Singularity!

 

[DTWolfwood]

yay I for one welcome our robotic overlords! If im not turned into a meat puppet first.

 

[Spleeni]

[http://img32.imageshack.us/i/meowj.jpg/]

 

[Zersy]

Okay.

So 100 times slower ?

And it's a cat ?

And it's still more powerful then our computers ?

I'm gonna say that what they said about creating a computer thats more powerful then the human brain by 2012 is bogus.

Damn Cats......

 

[similar.squirrel]

Why does everyone always assume Artificial Intelligences will think 'Wahey, I think, therefor I am! LET'S FRY SOME MOTHERFUCKING HUMANS'

Because it's the conclusion organic intelligence tends to arrive at after a few years.