Ask HN: To what extent is it possible to build common sense into a machine? - julienreszka
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allears
A silly question, because it is so vague. What do you mean by "common sense"?
How do you define a "machine"? Even if you're talking about humans, no one can
agree on what is "common sense".

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julienreszka
Can anybody agree on anything anyways.

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PaulHoule
One thing: how much of common sense comes from having a body, the experience
of being in a body, living in the world, etc?

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julienreszka
I believe common sense is the inertia in the expectations that one has
regarding the transformation that one can apply on object in the world.

Having a body makes it easier to have an identity and differentiate objects in
the world I guess.

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LinuxBender
I think what you mean is error handling? If so, a team of humans must predict
the error conditions that need to be handled and how to handle them with as
much grace as feasible.

Or are you talking about AI/ML?

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julienreszka
I'm talking about AI/ML.

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LinuxBender
At a high level, it depends on how much processing power this machine has, how
many development, mathematical and scientific resources you are allocating to
this machine. With infinite money, one could certainly put together a team to
make a machine with common sense.

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AnimalMuppet
I have the same objection that allears had: Until you have a definition of
"common sense", no, you can't - not even with infinite money. Even with such a
definition... let's just say your position "assumes facts not in evidence", as
they say in court of law.

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LinuxBender
Agreed. I am assuming (I make too many assumptions) that the definition of
common sense is part of the project, with some stated tests/goals being a
success criteria. Otherwise, one could never complete anything.

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AnimalMuppet
With infinite money, we _might_ actually be able to come up with a definition
of common sense. I was assuming (hey, I do it too!) that you were thinking
there was already an adequate one, and I was disagreeing with what I assumed
you thought.

