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lukeprog comments on Singularity FAQ - Less Wrong Discussion

16 Post author: lukeprog 19 April 2011 05:27PM

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Comment author: lukeprog 20 April 2011 03:14:57PM 2 points [-]

I think people understand that their calculator can do arithmetic much faster than they can. No?

Comment author: JoshuaZ 20 April 2011 03:19:50PM *  4 points [-]

I think people understand that their calculator can do arithmetic much faster than they can. No?

Yes, but there's a leap from there to the idea a computer might be able to run the equivalent of neurons faster than a person. It might need to be stated explicitly for people who aren't use to thinking about these issues.

Comment author: lukeprog 20 April 2011 03:46:16PM *  2 points [-]

Okay. I added a parenthetical: "computer circuits communicate much faster than neurons do".

Comment author: Kaj_Sotala 21 April 2011 11:53:23AM 2 points [-]

This could simply be an indication that the brain's architecture is not well-optimized for arithmetic. It doesn't necessarily imply that calculators are faster.

The computer I had in 1999 had occasional difficulties in carrying out real-time emulation of a gaming console released in 1990. That doesn't mean the console had better hardware.

Comment author: orthonormal 20 April 2011 09:19:33PM 0 points [-]

I don't think that many people consciously connect the two ideas- again, we're talking about a short but essential inferential leap. (I've known some very smart people who were surprised when I pointed out this particular fact, by the way.)