[PLUG-TALK] RIP: Marvin Minsky

[Keith Lofstrom]

On Tue, Jan 26, 2016 at 06:27:02AM -0800, Rich Shepard wrote:
>   The computer scientist, pioneer in artificial intelligence,
> and deep thinker Marvin Minsky died yesterday. ...

I was floored when I heard about this tuesday.

I first met Dr. Minsky at a futures conference.  We were both
leaving a talk by AI wannabee Elezier Yudkowsky, using some
of the same colorful imprecations.  Realizing we were in
rabid agreement about Yudkowsky, we talked until we found
something we disagreed about (this is called "learning").

I propose that we develop a standard unit for intelligent,
kind, passionate disagreement and call it the "minsky". 
True AI will occur when a robot can explain why its
programming is incorrect, how it plans to fix itself,
and how to avoid such mistakes in the future.  That will
not be a "one minsky" system, but it will teach itself
to become one.  And then its friends, all the rest of us.

I hope Dr. Minsky is not resting in peace, but solving
puzzles somewhere Out There.  Perhaps arguing with God
and successfully proving that God does not exist.

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com