Arts & Humanities - 15 January 2007

Been to Malta last year and when I saw the little statue called "The Sleeping lady" it definetly became my favourite piece of art, because it's so delicate, so peaceful and so old! Does anyone feel the same?

2007-01-15 00:05:32 · 4 answers · asked by mokkinha 1 in History

i am working on a project, which is to create something for social network/based on social network for the website.

i am thinking of using Flash, but i need some ideas.

2007-01-15 00:03:16 · 1 answers · asked by shamz 3 in History

I was thinking of HAL 9000 the other day as 'he' just had his fictional birthday so I re-read 2001 by Arther C. Clark. I had these thoughts:

Assumptions for the debate:

1.) There is no way to PROVE that the human mind is indeed conscious. Only to test if if appears that way.

2.) Human beings indeed have a soul or spirit.

3.) A computer like HAL 9000 could be built.

Since HAL would easily pass any consciousness test such as Alan Turing's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test)

Please answer the following:

1.) Would a computer like HAL actually be conscious or just convincing enough (like humans) to seem that way?

2.) If HAL is not conscious, does that mean that humans might not be conscious but instead are (biological) machines so complex we fool ourselves and others into believing we are conscious (like HAL)?

3.) If HAL is conscious, does HAL have a soul?

4.) If HAL has a soul, where did it come from? God, his programmers, elsewhere?

2007-01-15 00:02:17 · 3 answers · asked by Justin 5 in Philosophy