Re: Demo: John, Mary and R2D2

> > Marshall: Your belief [that thinking about how you think results
> > in understanding intelligence] is invalid.
> > It's been tried many times;
> > it doesn't work.
>
> Neo: Are you reading what you are writing?

Marshall: Damn straight. I'm quite confident in it as well. I first became aware of the impossibility of introspection as a valid tool for understanding the nature of intelligence while aquiring a degree in psychology from UC Berkeley, which I did on the side while also pursuing a computer science degree. Introspection (and intuition) fail even when applied to simple cognitive tasks.

You brain is hardwired to present you with the belief that you know what's going on, and that your perception is valid. In cases where incomplete input is available, it actually makes stuff up on a best-guess basis and still presents it as fact. Anyone who ever saw a pretty girl at a distance that turned out to be a mailbox when you got close has experienced this phenomenon. Received on Sat Nov 20 2004 - 19:34:40 CST