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> cannot exercise general intelligence because they are not "in the world".

Implies dualism. In a materialist world a computer can learn anything given the proper structure and stimuli.



The limitation is more practical than theoretical or philosophical.

Consider this line from an Eagles song:

“City girls just seem to find out early, how to open doors with just a smile.”

What does that mean to you?

Disembodied computers don’t get the experiences required to gain that intelligence, and even if they could go along for the ride, in a helmet cam, they wouldn't experience the tingling in their heart, lungs and genitals that provide the signals for learning.


Yes, but the key is the proper structure and stimuli, which animal intelligence gets through having a body. Can we get computers to have the same sort of intelligence without a synthetic body? This becomes more of a robotics versus traditional AI debate. Think Rodney Brooks versus Marvin Minsky.




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