Douglas_Knight comments on Rationality Power Tools - Less Wrong

22 Post author: Nic_Smith 19 September 2010 06:20AM

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Comment author: Douglas_Knight 21 September 2010 05:24:12AM *  0 points [-]

But it appears not to be enough.

I'm not convinced that anyone actually did any work towards the nematode upload project. Who would fund it? I did hear recently the claim that it was tried and failed, but I haven't seen any evidence. ETA: at Nick's link, David says that there hasn't been any work since 2001. The work I saw from 2001 looked just like a proposal. He also mentions (at github) a paper from 2005 that is relevant, but not, I think, simulation.

Until it has been demonstrated in, say, C. elegans, it is so much moonshine.

Just because Markram isn't doing the obvious thing doesn't mean he is a fraud. Funding agencies and journalists aren't suspicious, so there's no incentive to work on non-sexy projects. It should make you nervous that he might fool himself, but he might not; he certainly believes he has other checks.

I heard a rumor that there has been renewed interest in the nematode upload project, but I don't have a reference. ETA: this was probably what Nick links to.

Comment author: Nick_Tarleton 22 September 2010 12:18:29AM 1 point [-]

I heard a rumor that there has been renewed interest in the nematode upload project, but I don't have a reference.

David Dalrymple is beginning a project. (github)