IS THINKING GENERATED BY THE BRAIN? IMPLICATIONS FOR AI

A lecture by
Valdemar W. Setzer
Dept. of Computer Science, Univ. of São Paulo, Brazil;
member of the São Paulo State Scademy of Sciences
and of the Anthroposophic Society in Brazil
www.ime.usp.br/~vwsetzer – this version: Jul. 15, 2024 - 3
See the ppt presentation of this lecture

1. Aug. 14, 2024, remote lecture for the Mystech organization, USA, info: Andrew Linnell jandrewtogetherlinnell att gmail dot com. Questions: [1] What were the most important things that you have learned? [2] What are the biggest remaining doubts? [3] Comments. [4] What is your degree of satisfaction with this lecture? (1 - very unsatisfied, 5 - very satisfied): [5] Did you learn new things? (Yes, No) [6] Did you learn new things? (Yes, No). 7. Are you acquainted with Anthroposophy (No, Yes, Yes, reasonably, etc.)? My comments are preceeded by COMM.

1. [1] Simple exercises to demonstrate the unique non physical characteristic of human will in thinking that demonstrates how AI is not anything more than logic based on biased physical memories. Also the difference between ideas and concepts clarifying the reality of the non-physical vs the representational. [2] Is it too late for so many addicted to the illusory material world represented on screens to develop intuitive thinking in freedom? You said everyone can do this! [3] Your enthusiasm itself demonstrates your humanity! Thank you. [4] 5. [6] Yes. [7] Yes, very well. COMM.: I have to say that I lost the hope that humankind will improve – the last decades have shown a clear decay, even a degeneration. Selfishness is increasing, and one may see that most of the evil doings are due to selfishness. But I have hope in individuals – that's why I keep writing and giving lectures.
2. [1] Idea cannot be stored, since it lives in the spirtual world; It can reappear, it can be reborn each time a concept or a piece of art is made or observed; brain is a sense organ for understanding ideas trough the concepts that comes to it; The AHA situation is an indicator that you understood, made an inward connection between the idea and its physical representation. [2] I will definitely watch the recording and probably some will appear. [3] Prof. Setzer, I admire your work and the resources you share on your website. I must teach IT in 5 grade pupils this year in our Waldorf school and will try to make it in a decent way. [4] 5. [5] Yes. [6] Yes, reasonably (have been studying it for some time). COMM.: Before the recording is available, you may try examining my presentation, at
   https://www.ime.usp.br/~vwsetzer/apresentacoes/thinking-and-AI.ppsx
   I'm sorry, but 5th graders should have no contact whatsoever with computers. People will say that this is impossible, they will have this contact at home and with friends. But schools should not give incentive for this use, because children don't have the maturity to use electronic media in a good way. Adults are not doing this, how come one should expect that children do it? Schools should tell parents about the problems generated by early use of electronic media. Maybe in the last years of elementary education one should tell students about how dangerous electronic media are. There is a great number of papers and books (I strongly reccoment those by MIchel Desmurget) about this, describing the terrible ill effects on children and adolescents (beginning with the loss of mental concentration). Introducing what computers and programs are, and how to use well the Internet should be done only in high school; at this time students my begin to understand the problems and having some self-control. For this, based on WE I developed a theater play where students simulate a computer with their various basic components, copying form my home page:
   
   The HIPO computer - a tool for teaching basic computer principles through machine language. This paper describes the HIPO computer, and how to use its simulator, a tool for learning basic concepts about computers. A HIPO interpreter, programmed by Vitor Seiji Hariki in javascript (present version: Apr 2, 2018); can be run in any browser. See their nstructions on how to use it.
   
   Also on high school, after students have learned about logarithms:
   Algorithms and their analysis – a pedagogical introduction. This paper describes a lecture introducing algorithms with practical activities and theoretical considerations.
   
   You and your colleagues should study my paper
   Paper Electronic media and education, at home and school: a synthesis of problems and recommendations. In Portuguese, I have an extension of this paper covering Waldorf Education. If you are interested, I could translate this part and add it to the paper in English.
   Last but not least, if you and your colleagues wish, I could install a remote session to discuss these matters with you, eventually with parents.

3. [1] That thinking does not originate in the brain. [2] No Doubts. [3] Thank you for all the work you have done to make a clear, inspiring and professional presentation. You speak English well, I enjoy your lectures very much. Thank you also for the slide presentation. It is wonderful to be able to just listen while you speak and not have to concentrate on taking notes. [4] 5. [5] Yes. [6] Yes. [7] Yes, very well. COMM.: I tried to show that thinking is not generated by the brain (one of the dogmas of materialist science), so that everybody could understand the arguments. I also intended to give spiritualists arguments against this dogma. As for my English, many thanks, it is nice to hear that it is still palatable. You may have noticed that as time was passing, it was becoming more fluent (lack of exercising the spoken language...). Slide presentations have two purposes: 1. At my age, sometimes a blank occurs while speaking, so I just have to look at the slide to recall how to continue. 2. I always make the presentation available to the public, so, as you mentioned, people don't have to take notes (eventually, about my blah blah...), may download it and calmly study my slides – and figure out some doubts!