[extropy-chat] Creating software with qualia

[Marc Geddes]

Great post Hal.  Here are notes from my 'Mathematico-Cognition Reality
Theory (MCRT) framework' you may be inetrested in:

---

I propose to define a Complex System as composed of three basic kinds of
Information:  Intrinsic, Action and Temporal.



*Intrinsic:    The form of the basic building blocks (or individual 'parts')
of the system

*Action:       The states of the basic building blocks (or the actions being
carried out)

*Temporal:  The causal properties of the system - rules governing how the
system evolves across time.



The '*Temporal* aspect of a complex system I here define as an ordered
relationship (or in mathematical jargon a 'mapping') between 'events' on a
time-line.



Temporal =  Mapping (Event1 >>>>>>>>> Event2)

Event =        Combination (Intrinsic property, Action property)



In order for a system to 'evolve' across time in an ordered way, there has
to be an ordered relationship between 'events'.  Another way of putting this
is that the Temporal aspect of the Complex System is a *Function*
(Mathematical definition of that terms) mapping two 'events' to each other.
One 'event' is the cause, the other the 'effect'.  An 'event' is a
combination of an Intrinsic and Action property of the system.



I propose that (to model) reality (AI software would require to model) the
following 3 Complex Systems: The Mathematical System, The Volitional System
and The Physical System.  Definitions of these 3 terms were given earlier.  The
Mathematical system consists of *Mathematical proofs*, the Volitional system
consists of *Memes* and the Physical system consists of *Computations*
(Physics).



Recall that I proposed to consider reality as 'pure information' (aka John
Wheeler).  We are pretending that reality is a 'program' or a kind of
'mind', and this is what justifies  the step of deviding reality into 'Three
Worlds' (Mathematical, Volitional and Physical).  Whether or not these
'three worlds' are reducible to one another is quite irrelevant.  The fact
is, that when we treat reality as 'pure information', 3 kinds of fundamental
'data types' appear - Mathematical propositions, Memes and Physical states.
We are justified in treating each kind of Information seperately because
that is what we need to do in order to fully *explain* reality in
*informational* terms.



When treated in terms of pure information and considered as a Complex
System, reality consists of three complex systems .  By the definition of a
Complex System given earlier, each system in turn can be sub-devided into 3
parts: Temporal, Intrinsic and Action, for a total of 9 fundamental kinds of
Information.  I propose to 'join' these 3 Complex Systems together into an
integrated whole by making two of the complex systems sub-systems of the
last.  Then reality is integrated in an aesthetically pleasing way and 9
seperate data types are reduced to 7.  The proposal is given below.



The scheme below is intended to be an *Informational* representation of
Reality.  Reality consists of three general types of information -
mathematical, memetic and physical.  These are treated as three kinds of
complex system.  The terms *Temporal*, *Action* and *Intrinsic* were briefly
defined earlier.  The labels below refer to various kinds of proposed data
structures associated with these componants of the system.



Mathematics System



*Temporal  - Sets (Qualia)

*Action       -Memes (Morality)

*Intrinsic   -  Function (Physics).



*Sets* here refer to the standard mathematical definition of the term -
groupings of entities related in some way.  Everything in maths can be
defined as a set of some kind.
*Memes* is here is refering to beliefs of a social nature.
*Function* is here referring to physical objects (functional systems)

The system above is strategy for defining reality in terms of mathematical
sets.  A set is defined as a grouping together of different functional
systems (physical objects) - the particular kind of 'grouping together' that
connects different objects is achieved by memes.  So a mathematical set is
defined as a relationship between mind and reality.  Sets are also proposed
to be equiavalent to qualia (conscious experience).

Example:  The concept 'Blue'

A 'set' would be formed by a mind linking together many objects deemed to
have in common the quality of 'blueness'.  The particular 'linking together'
algorithm is a 'meme'.  For instance the system might chosoe the following
objects: Sky, Car, Shirt and 'link' them (associate them) to form a 'set'
representing the meaning of the concept 'Blue' - this 'Set' would be
equivalent to qualia.







Volitional System



*Temporal  -  Meme (Morality)

*Action       -  Situation

*Intrinsic    -  Agent



*Morality* here refers to a system of memes - referring to the interactions
between agents

*Situation* here refers to the activities of a volitional agent

*Agent here refers to a volitional agent



The system above is a strategy for defining a memetic system.  It says that
a memetic system is defined by a series of mental events consisting of a
combination of agents and activities.  This scheme is part of what could be
called a 'Two Category Theory'.  Ontological reality has been granted to the
concept an 'agent', as distinct from the concept of mere matter.





Physical System



*Temporal - Fuction (Physics)

*Action     - Translation

*Intrinsic   - Object



*Physics* here referes to a  functional proccess - a system passing through
a succesion of on/off ststes.

*Translation* Here refers to the movements of a body

*Object* here refers to something with an extension in physical space


The system above is a strategy for defining a physical system.  It says that
a physical system is defined as a series of computational 'events' composed
of serially ordered combinations of objects and their motions.

Example:

Temporal:  A gun firing (this is a function -  an 'event').
Action:    The particular movements of the gun needed (i.e cocking trigger,
bullet exiting etc)
Intrinsic: The gun itself

---


--
To see a World in a grain of sand,
And Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
-William Blake

Please visit my web-site:
http://www.riemannai.org/
Sci-Fi, Science and Fantasy
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