Archived Could completely mechanical machines be self-aware, when being complex enough? (AskScience)
submitted ago by killer7
Posted by: killer7
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Archived on: 1/25/2018 10:00:00 AM
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Archived Could completely mechanical machines be self-aware, when being complex enough? (AskScience)
submitted ago by killer7
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[–] fusir 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
There is one advantage I see the electronic computers for nearly unbounded finite complexity. That is that a computer is built around an adder. Nearly everything else is built around it. Multiplication, division, goto statements, incrementing the read instruction from machine code, addressing ram.
Adders can be built mechanically but because the adder in a computer is electronic a single one can be utilized by multiple components as long as they can time their use. Giving access to an adder to multiple mechanical systems would be impressive so either we need a fuck ton of adders or we need some genius mechanical circuitry.