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AIList Digest Volume 4 Issue 251
AIList Digest Thursday, 6 Nov 1986 Volume 4 : Issue 251
Today's Topics:
Queries - Franz Object-Oriented Packages &
Sentient-Computer Novels &
Simulating a Neural Network,
Application - Snooker-Playing Robots,
Ethics - Moral Responsibility,
Seminars - Planning Simultaneous Actions (UPenn) &
Scientific Discovery (CMU) &
Machine Inductive Inference (CMU) &
Case-Based Learning System (Rutgers)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 86 13:08:28 EST
From: weltyc%cieunix@CSV.RPI.EDU (Christopher A. Welty)
Subject: Looking for Franz OO packages
I am looking for information on Object Oriented extensions to
Franz Lisp. I know that someone (U of Maryland?) came out with a flavors
package for Franz, if someone can point me in the right direction there
it would be appreciated, as well as any info on other packages...
------------------------------
Date: 5 Nov 86 23:45:05 GMT
From: gknight@ngp.utexas.edu (Gary Knight)
Subject: Canonical list of sentient computer novels
I am trying to compile a canonical list of SF *novels* dealing with (1)
sentient computers, and (2) human mental access to computers or computer
networks. Examples of the two categories (and my particular favorites as well)
are:
A) SENTIENT COMPUTERS
The Adolescence of P-1, by Thomas J. Ryan
Valentina: Soul in Sapphire, by Joseph H. Delaney and Marc Stiegler
Cybernetic Samurai, by (I forget)
Coils, by Roger Zelazny
B) HUMAN ACCESS
True Names, by Vernor Vinge
Neuromancer and Count Zero, by William Gibson
I'm not sure how this is done, but my thought is for all of you sf-fans
out there to send me e-mail lists of such novels (separate, by category A and
B), and I'll compile and post the ultimate canonical version. I've heard that
this exercise was undertaken a year or so ago, but I don't have access to that
list and besides I'd like to get fresh input anyway (and recent qualifying
books).
So let me hear from you . . . .
Gary
--
Gary Knight, 3604 Pinnacle Road, Austin, TX 78746 (512/328-2480).
Biopsychology Program, Univ. of Texas at Austin. "There is nothing better
in life than to have a goal and be working toward it." -- Goethe.
------------------------------
Date: 30 Oct 86 15:20:24 GMT
From: ihnp4!inuxc!iuvax!cdaf@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Charles Daffinger)
Subject: Re: simulating a neural network
In article <151@uwslh.UUCP> lishka@uwslh.UUCP [Chris Lishka] writes:
>
>...
> Apparently Bell Labs (I think) has been experimenting with neural
>network-like chips, with resistors replacing bytes (I guess). They started
>out with about 22 'neurons' and have gotten up to 256 or 512 (can't
>remember which) 'neurons' on one chip now. Apparently these 'neurons' are
>supposed to run much faster than human neurons...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What bothers me is that the performance is rated upon speed. Unlike the
typical syncronous digital computer, neuronal networks are asyncronous,
communicating via a temporal discharge of 'spikes' through axons which vary
considerably in length, as well as speed, and exploit the use of SLOW signals
just as they do those of FAST signals. (look at the neral mechanism for a
reflex, or for that of focusing the eye, as an example).
I am curious as to how much of the essence of their namesakes was really
captured in these 'neurons'?
-charles
--
... You raise the blade, you make the change, you re-arrange me til I'm sane...
Pink Floyd
------------------------------
Date: 3 Nov 1986 13:49:29 GMT
From: Icarus Sparry <cc_is%ux63.bath.ac.uk@Cs.Ucl.AC.UK>
Subject: Snooker playing robots
This is being posted on behalf of another member of staff, who is
not able to get through the UCL gateway
------
Newsgroups: mod.ai
Subject: Re: Robot Snooker-player
Summary:
Expires:
References: <861020-061334-1337@Xerox>
Sender:
Reply-To: cc_dgdc@ux63.bath.ac.uk (Clark)
Followup-To:
Distribution:
Organization: University of Bath, England
Keywords:
I believe you will find the robot snooker player at Bristol University,
England. I too saw a local tv news program about it last year.
I think the AI group is in one of the Engineering Departments.
Doug Clark
Bath University
----------
Icarus
Mr I. W. J. Sparry Phone 0225 826826 x 5983
Head of Microcomputer Unit Telex 449097
University of Bath e-mail:
Claverton Down cc_is@UK.AC.BATH.UX63
Bath BA2 7AY !mcvax!ukc!hlh!bath63!cc_is
England cc_is%ux63.bath.ac.uk@ucl-cs.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 86 12:25:26 est
From: Randy Goebel LPAIG
<rggoebel%watdragon.waterloo.edu@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: Re: moral responsibility
Patrick Hayes writes
> ...Weizenbaum has made a successful career by
> systematically attacking AI research on the grounds that it is somehow
> immoral, and finding a large and willing audience.
Weizenbaum does, indeed and unfortunately, attract a large, willing and
naive audience. For some reason, there seems to be a large not-quite-
computer-literate population that wants to believe that AI is potentially
dangerous to ``real'' intelligence. But it is not completely fair to
conclude that Weizenbaum believes AI to be immoral; it is correct for
Patrick to qualify his conclusion as ``somehow'' immoral. Weizenbaum
acknowledges the general concept of intelligence, with both human and artificial
kinds as manifestations. He even prefers the methodology of the artificial
kind, especially when it relieves us from experiments on, say, the visual
cortex of cats.
Weizenbaum does claim that certain aspects of AI are immoral but, as the
helicopter example illustrates, his judgment is not exclusive to AI. As AI
encroaches most closely to those things Weizenbaum values (e.g., human
dignity, human life, human emotions), it is natural for him to speak about
the potential dangers that AI poses. I suspect that, if Weizenbaum were
a nuclear physicist instead of a computer scientist, he would focus more
attention on the immorality of fission and fusion.
It is Weizenbaum's own principles of morality that determine the judgements.
He acknowledges that, and places his prinicples in the public forum every
time he speaks.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 86 14:27 EST
From: Tim Finin <Tim@cis.upenn.edu>
Subject: Seminar - Planning Simultaneous Actions (UPenn)
Computer and Information Science Colloquium
University of Pennsylvania
3-4:30 pm Thursday, November 6, 1986
Room 216 - Moore School
PLANNING SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS IN TEMPORALLY RICH WORLDS
Professor James Allen
Department of Computer Science
University of Rochester
This talk describes work done with Richard Pelavin over the last few years.
We have developed a formal logic of action that allows us to represent
knowledge and reason about the interactions between events that occur
simultaneously or overlap in time. This includes interactions between two
(or more) actions that a single agent might perform simultaneously, as well
as interactions between an agent's actions and events occuring in the
external world. The logic is built upon an interval-based temporal logic
extended with modal operators similar to temporal necessity and a
counterfactual operator. Using this formalism, we can represent a wide
range of possible ways in which actions may interact.
------------------------------
Date: 4 Nov 86 15:44:08 EST
From: Steven.Minton@k.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Seminar - Scientific Discovery (CMU)
As usual, 3:15 in 7220. This week's speaker is Deepak Kulkarni.
Title: Processes of scientific discovery: Strategy of Experimentation
KEKADA is a program that models some strategies of experimentation
which scientists use in their research. When augmented with
appropriate background knowledge, it can simulate in detail Krebs' course of
discovery of urea synthesis. Williamson's discovery of alcohol-structure is
another discovery it can simulate.
I would like to discuss the general mechanisms used in the system and some
half-baked ideas about further work on the system.
-----
Deepak told me that he's very interested in getting feedback on some
of his ideas for further work. I'm hoping that we'll have a lively
feedback session.
- Steve
------------------------------
Date: 27 Oct 86 14:20:41 EST
From: Lydia.Defilippo@cad.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Seminar - Machine Inductive Inference (CMU)
Dates: 3-Nov-86
Time: 4:00
Cboards: general
Place: 223d Porter Hall
Type: Philosophy Colloquium
Duration: one hour
Who: Scott Weinstein, University of Pennsylvania
Topic: Some Recent Results in the Theory of Machine Inductive Inference
Host: Dan Hausman
The talk will describe recent research by Dan Osherson, Mike Stob and
myself on a variety of topics of epistemological interest in the
theory of machine inductive inference. The topics covered will
include limitations on mechanical realizations of Bayesian inference
methods, the synthesis of inference machines from descriptions of the
problem domains for which they are intended and the identification of
relational structures.
------------------------------
Date: 29 Oct 86 22:57:40 EST
From: Tom Fawcett <FAWCETT@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Seminar - Case-Based Learning System (Rutgers)
TITLE: Memory Access Techniques for a Case-based
Learning System
SPEAKER: Wendy Lehnert
DATE: Monday, November 3
LOCATION: Princeton University, Green Hall, Langfeld Lounge
TIME: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Abstract
Traditionally, symbolic processing techniques in artificial
intelligence have addressed "high-level" cognitive tasks
like expert reasoning, natural language processing,
and knowledge acquisition. At the same time, a separate
paradigm of connectionist techniques has addressed
"low-level" perceptual problems like word recognition,
stereoscopic vision and speech recognition. While
symbolic computation models are frequently characterized as
brittle, difficult to extend, and exceedingly fragile, many
connectionist models exhibit graceful degradation and natural
methodologies for system expansion.
In this talk, we will look at how connectionist techniques
might be useful as a strategy for indexing symbolic memory.
Our discussion will focus on two seemingly unrelated tasks:
word pronunciation and narrative summarization. We will
endeavor to show how both problems can be approached with
similar strategies for indexing memory and resolving
competing indices.
------------------------------
End of AIList Digest
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