Just some other idle thoughts on this subject for contemplation. I am not necessarily advocating an attempt to setup a grid problem to cause an artificle lifeform to evolve, just wondering if it is one extension of the platform.

I find it interesting that we can make robots that can climb stairs, dance, or hop but lack the fundamental intelligence necessary for basic survival. We haven't even gotten to the environmental intelligence or self awareness of a fly or a spider. We are still remotely driving our creations on the Mars because we can not give them the most basic survival needs or drive.

Ah! but there is the basic rub, do we really want a mechanical thing to have survival as a basic drive? Survival implies adaptablity, uncertainty, a stretching of limits to boundaries not defined. I think we are already heading for convergence of human and machine.

What I am not sure of is how long the human part will remain. Certainly a machine could span the time and distance to the stars as one corporate form, unlike a flesh and blood human.

We are approaching the point where we need intelligent machines to look after a rapidly aging world population, but not too intelligent- smart enough to help us out of bed, cook for us, answer the phone, pick up the mail, vacuum the house, walk the dog, read the newspaper to us, translate or converse in another's language, call the doctor, give first aid, protect us, but not be too smart it can't have a survival outside us. A sticky set of limitations, ones that I don't think we will ultimately manage to contain.

Hi GEORGE n Hairy
With Hi speed Wireless, and satellite down Links.
"Brain Bulk" should not be an issue. ??

Robert