Marx and Von Neumann's dreams come true

["Lisa & Ian Murray" <seamus@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Rather it is the machine which possesses skill and strength in place of the
worker, is itself the virtuoso, with a soul of its own in the mechanical
laws acting through it..." Grundrisse p.693
[substitute evolutionary algorithms for soul and mechanical laws and
presto...substitute evolution or evolvability for objectified labor etc. on
p. 694 and you'll get a hint of where we're headed]



full article
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/31robot.html

August 31, 2000


Aping Biology, Computer Guides Automated Evolution of a Robot
By KENNETH CHANG

For the first time, computer scientists have created a robot that designs
and builds other robots, almost entirely without human help.

In the short run, this advance could lead to a new industry of inexpensive
robots customized for specific tasks. In the long run -- decades at least --
robots may one day be truly regarded as "artificial life," able to reproduce
and evolve, building improved versions of themselves.

Such durable, adaptive robots, astronomers have suggested, could someday be
sent into space to explore the galaxy or search for other life.

But the quest to create artificial life also revives concerns that computer
scientists could eventually create a robotic species that would supplant
biological life, including humans.

"Some things we probably can do we shouldn't do," said Bill Joy, chief
scientist at Sun Microsystems, who wrote a recent article warning of the
power of emerging technologies. "Just like we can kill things with DDT, but
we shouldn't."