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15.10
A general review of non-biologic and biologic self-aware life
 
  As we outlined at the beginning of this chapter, carbon is not the only atomic substance in the universe from which complex, small mechanisms may be created. It just so happens that carbon and its relative atoms- (hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen) fit together so well under stable conditions that the most complex molecular naturally occurring shapes in the universe are formed.  
15.10.1 The wonders of silica  
  With a little help, other atomic structures such as silica can be formed into wonderful uses, such as the integrated microchip. While the size of circuits and complexity compared to hydro-carbon cells remains primitive, the microchip has already proven an unprecedented tool in building computer devices that fill our everyday lives.  
  While human made computers are reaching new processing speeds and parallel problem solving capability, they remain, by and large simple versions of the complex parallel processors that are the human brain. In future times though, there is no question that human made computers will conceivably rival the number of circuits, parallel connections and processing speeds of the human brain.  
15.10.2 The question of artificial intelligence  
  Up there with the question of life in other parts of the galaxy and local area is the question of the possibility of artificial intelligence. Many hundreds of books have been written, some outlining the strong possibility and probability of machine intelligence, with others considering the feat impossible.  
  Like many questions still perplexing human scientists, the answer might be elusive, not because of the question, but because of mislabeling."Artificial" implies something not natural and "intelligence" denotes some kind of quantitative benchmark of cognition.  
  The facts are that computers today are vastly more intelligent in function and design than those even a decade ago. Computers have improved in reliability and cognition to such a point that they are now considered standard components in many family cars and failsafe systems. Several systems in operation around the world even enable the car to call a number and alert a central service centre of a fault.  
  A frequent response by those scientists hard nosing the quest for AI to such examples is that no matter how "smart" these computer systems may be, they essentially run on programs created by humans and do not display the clear self-choices that an independent entity such as a human make.  
  With such labels as AI (artificial intelligence) being used, it is often difficult t sustain a valid argument against such assertions. Simply, once again the labeling restricts any answer to OK- so a computer isn't the same as a human being. A superior label for our discussions, in line with the spirit of the debate is self awareness of silicate lifeforms.  
15.10.3 The natural design flaws in human engineered silicate lifeforms  
  Unlike nature, whose computational design recognizes that self awareness- awareness of one's environment is paramount, above higher cognitive abilities (speech, abstract creation etc), human engineers still consider cognition (computing power) the heart of solving the debate.  
  As you can now see, we no longer describe the AI debate as AI, but the question of self awareness of silicate lifeforms- recognizing that even the simplest of computers represents a form of life- albeit very primitive.  
  Human engineered silicate lifeforms are highly dependent upon wasteful forms or energis for their operation (utility electricity), rather than alternative forms of energis action such as photosynthesis or a form of internal combustion. Human engineered silicate lifeforms cannot perform the essential internal molecular manipulations required to prepare and repair fundamental errors at a complex molecular, or even simple molecular structure. They cannot produce their own sub components.  
  Human engineered silicate lifeforms have limited built in and external sensory solutions, so that simple means of detecting external danger, or internal danger are often limited. In contrast even the humble single cell, is almost over- engineered with features designed to ensure the cell is aware of its external environment in a practical sense.  
  Human engineered silicate lifeforms tend to centralize cognitive functions to a few components, rather than build a cohesive whole from independently active and functioning systems ( e.g. the concept of organs of cognition)  
  Human engineered silicate lifeforms are still programmed along the binary to the 16, 32 or 64 bit standards, rather than the powerful naturally vector based system of natural logarithms.  
     
 
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