netconnect

I too have always been able to read at what other people think are very high speeds. It started when I was in 2nd grade. (talking Australian here, don't know if this is the same terminology for other countries) In grade two I could read at a grade 6 level, by year 7 I could read at a year 12 level. This is by no means some amazing feat, I'm certainly not special.

It was around grade 5 I realised that I could actually read much faster than my peers. It was silent reading hour and I finished my book in a few minutes, the teacher told me that I hadn't and to keep reading, the other kids called me a liar. It was a long hour as far as I was concerned being a little kid. After that I hid my speed reading and only ever used it to entertain myself. I would try to see how fast I could read the subtitles on the Japanese shows they played on SBS, or to knock off an entire book before my mum made me turn off my lights. When I practised by myself I usually did it out loud, trying not to slur my words, stuff like that. Once again this was just for my own amusement.

Reading out loud I am very fast, my sister is the only person I have ever met that can understand when I read a passage at full speed. Silently I read many times faster. I always hear people saying that cutting out the sub-vocalisation allows anyone to read at high speeds, but I still say the words in my head as I go.

I find I can read most fiction without having to slow down to enjoy it, as well as still comprehending and remembering all the plot details, character interactions and even the exact wording of dialogue from fairly far back in the text. I find it is not as useful for technical writings or anything involving stopping to understand math. Despite this it is still very useful for quickly finding passages or words in large chunks of text or reading through material that can be learned by rote.

All in all I treasure my little skill and would be very upset to lose it.

I agree that simulation is the key to a concious AI system. If or when we ever succeed in simulating a human mind to a close enough degree of comparability, it is almost a given that the system will be self concious.

There are some problems simulating the human brain that would also have to be addressed even once we can create a working system, such as the AI being a bit of a blank slate, like a infant or a coma patient.

I see the whole process as having to follow a path similar to this:

1. A breakthrough in computing power, something capable of simulating very accurately small areas of space, this means perfectly representing ridiculously complicated chemical reactions and some natural laws.

2. Succeeding in creating a software environment to execute these simulations within.

3. A breakthrough in mapping an existing person, some sort of scan that creates a mathematically provable perfect (or close enough) representation of an area in space. Like some humans mind or possibly their entire body until the subject of the scan can be simplified on the computer. Sort of like taking a photo and then cropping off the body. The above simulation environment may be what is used to provide the simulated inputs and outputs to the head, like the CNS and cardiovascular system. Not to mention the inputs to the eyes and other senses. Sort of like a virtual head in a jar.

4. So far we would have a conscious system, but it would be a copy of a pre-existing being. The next step would to be to somehow, ethically, re-write this being. This would provide a learning challenge with the goal of simplifying and modularising the human brain. Such as hacking language areas, input nerves, the reliance on virtual blood and sustenance and most importantly the memory.

The final product of this important stage is the most simple and easily tweak-able simulation of the human brain that could be used by all researchers and eventually commercial applications. If all these virtual brains are the same or comparable, this isolates the memory as a way to load in or edit what is essentially... people. The creepiest analogy may be the best, they will be like swappable save game files, executing in virtual machines (the hacked brains) that operate within another virtual machine (dare I say it, a super-simple matrix of sorts)

5. We may never reach anywhere near this far along the process due mainly to ethical reasons that cannot be overcome with mere ingenuity. But if we do, the next step is compressing all this down further and further until we have the most simple possible (perhaps provable somehow) implementation of a mind that does not require all the layers of virtualization.

God it's easy to get caught up in this stuff. I hold this prediction on my fingertips in hopes that any developments may blow it away so I can re-evaluate and make a new one.

After a bit of a search around I understand this all much better. Not to mention have a sudden thirst to get involved with that kind of organisation.

I guess I will just release my little plans on HN and enjoy the feedback! Would love suggestions for other places to use my creativity for something worthwhile (for me or a community).

Thanks for the honest response(s). What is this incubator you mentioned? Could you tell me more or link to something that does?

Thats really my problem isn't it - I bring nothing to the table once someone has the plans. I'm a little protective, but I could cope with letting one or two go I suppose. I have only really shared them with non-tech people or my tech friends that are far too lazy or otherwise oriented to ever do anything with them.

Sorry man, I've only been here for one of those but I dont remember it. Guess we just like to talk about these kinds of things?

To anyone still following my amazing misadventures,

I woke up this morning to find house-mate #4 laying down the law. Turns out no one opens the door in the morning, it's all the one guy and now I know at least two of us have had it. For now the problem has gone, but at the cost of fuelling his paranoia that we are all out to get him as a group. One more thing and I'm getting him kicked out.

Thanks for all the advice guys, it's cool to see how the crowd thinks.

Shitty heating only works comfortably at maximum with the door closed, dropped ten degrees when he started with this crap. You can always tell someone that they're responsible, but when it happens how are you meant to enforce that kind of stuff with anything other than intimidation? (not where my skills lay)

I totally understand what you mean about making a decision and then just working it all out, it's one of the cornerstones of how I live my life, but moving out and into this house was one of those decisions and its going to take a little while to finish dealing with all the financial problems that it caused for me. Do you think writing "I'll Kill You" in blood on the front door would be enough? Heh.

Thanks for the book idea, afraid I'm too poor being a uni student to buy it, but I might check if my state library has a copy.

I'm afraid I just signed a 6 month lease and I'm in no financial situation to move anywhere else. I wish one of the others had told me about all this before I moved in.

It wasn't that I had become too frustrated to keep talking to him, it was that I saw there were not going to be any breakthroughs then and there tonight so I played one last card, the guilt trip, which failed miserably. I am thinking of confronting him more sternly tomorrow when this inevitably happens again.

Should I think about bringing the real estate agents into this, or even trying to get him and the others together in a room and telling them all what I think?

Anyway, this Ask HN wasn't just meant to be about my situation here, more about tips, philosophies and reading materials to help others deal with similar situations, especially in the business world.

(Oh and thanks for the reply!)