Darwin Among the Machines (52 page)

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Authors: George B. Dyson

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Coleridge, Samuel
23

Collbohm, Frank,
147

collective intelligence,
7–11
,
13
,
34
,
72
,
124
,
168
,
172
,
197
,
199–200
,
204–205
,
208–210
,
214
,
224

and collective stupidity,
11

and evolution,
115–16
,
124
,
186–90
,
228

human society as,
2–3
,
13
,
190–91

Colossus (cryptanalytical machine),
9–10
,
12
,
65–67
,
69
,
72
,
104
,
144

as ancestor of the modern computer,
10
,
67

programming of,
66–67
,
205

secrecy of,
67
,
90

Com21, Inc.,
207

communication.
see also
code and coding
;
telecommunication

biochemical,
123
,
169

digital, proliferation of,
7–9
,
10
,
12

and emergent mind,
110
,
203–205
,
210

human-computer,
183
,
225–26

mathematical theory of,
61
,
155

money, as a means of,
164–69

communism,
77
,
184
,
199

Complaît Strategyst, The
(Williams),
155

complex adaptive systems.
See
self-organizing systems

complexity

Cambrian surge of,
21
,
122
,
160

computational,
11
,
39
,
56
,
85
,
89–90
,
110
,
130
,
157

and computer systems,
61
,
177
,
121
,
189
,
203

and cryptography,
62
,
63
,
66

of data networks,
11
,
150
,
205

and evolution,
13
,
112
,
115
,
117
,
119
,
126
,
129–30
,
190

and game theory,
154–55
,
158

hierarchical distribution of,
192

and intelligence,
9
,
12
,
110
,
126
,
186
,
197
,
205

and mathematical logic,
37
,
130
,
190

and neural networks,
89
,
157–58
,
176

“new” science of,
3
,
9
,
18
,
28
,
175

and origins of life,
28
,
117
,
177

and SAGE air defense system,
178–81

and self-organizing systems,
175–77
,
187
,
190

and self-reproduction,
71
,
109

of software,
89
,
121
,
124
,
130

computability.
see also
incompleteness
;
Turing machine

equivalent definitions of,
54
,
57

and mind,
5–7
,
36
,
39
,
43
,
50
,
58
,
59
,
70–73
,
157

and neural networks,
88
,
157

computable numbers.
See
“On Computable Numbers”
;
functions
;
recursive functions

computation.
see also
computability

in biology,
71
,
108
,
115
,
216

and economic systems,
168

evolutionary,
71
,
184–85
,
189

Hobbes, on nature of,
6–7

massively parallel,
86–88
,
108
,
115
,
126–27
,
155
,
196–97
,
181
,
205

neural,
46
,
82
,
89
,
108
,
156–58
,
169
,
219

quantum,
72

reliable, using unreliable components,
44–45
,
72
,
108
,
156

Computer and the Brain, The
(von Neumann),
108
,
109
,
156

computer architecture,
2
,
9
,
68
,
90
,
94
,
99
,
157
,
185
.
see also
von Neumann architecture

computer networks.
see also
Internet
;
packet switching

complexity of,
11
,
126
,
150
,
205

and distributed intelligence,
9–13
,
168
,
203
,
205
,
208
,
210
,
214

origins of,
88
,
143–52
,
180

proliferation of,
10–13
,
167
,
183
,
192
,
203
,
206

robustness of,
149
,
190

computers.
see also
digital computers

analog,
61

human,
55
,
59
,
80
,
83–84
,
86
,
197
,
212

Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR),
60

Connection Machine,
86
,
126
,
222

conscientious objectors, in World War I,
194

consciousness.
see also
intelligence
;
artificial intelligence
;
mind

of animals,
77

and collective intelligence,
193
,
199–200
,
203–205
,
209–210

defined, by Smee,
46

among machines,
26
,
50–51
,
210

nature and evolution of,
10
,
25–26
,
82
,
171
,
203
,
211

corporations, as purposive systems,
170

Cost
of a Hardened, Nationwide Buried Cable Network
(RAND),
147

Cradocke, Francis,
164

Crago, Robert,
179

Crimean war,
139

cryptography and cryptanalysis.
see also
code and coding
;
Colossus
;
Enigma
;
Fish

abuse of, and government control 166

and digital telecommunications,
138
,
148–49
,
151

and Hooke,
137

and money,
165–67

public-key (RSA),
165–66

and Wilkins,
132–33
,
166

in World War II,
9–10
,
62–67
,
205

culture (human),
82
,
170
,
184
,
191
,
211
,
217
,
225

currency,
158–60
,
164–65
,
167–70

Cybernetics,
6
,
86
,
98
,
100–101
,
176

and Ampère,
6
,
141
,
161–62

Cybernetics
(Wiener),
6
,
98

cyberplasm,
202

D

Darwin-Butler quarrel,
17–18
,
23–24
,
26–27
,
186–87

Darwin, Charles Robert (1809–1882).
see also
Origin of Species

on Babbage,
41

and Butler,
17–18
,
23–24
,
26–27
,
186–87
,
217

on collective organisms,
192

deleted references to “my” theory,
18

on design,
189

and Erasmus Darwin,
17
,
23

and evolution,
18
,
20
,
116
,
186
,
189
,
190

and Huxley,
4
,
18
,
115

pangenesis, hypothesis of,
20

and his predecessors,
17
,
20
,
154

Darwin, Erasmus (1731–1802),
17
,
18–23

and Butler–Darwin quarrel,
17
,
23
,
27

and Charles Darwin,
17
,
20
,
23

and electricity,
22–23
,
32

and evolution,
17
,
18–20
,
27
,
119
,
154
,
191

and “fiery chariot,” 21–22

and
Frankenstein
,
22

on origins of life,
18–20
,
119

and origins of technology,
21–22
,
32
,
33

as physician,
20
,
21
,
22–23

on sex,
19

Darwin, Francis (1848–1925),
21
,
27

“Darwin Among the Machines” (Butler),
15
,
24–25

“Darwin on the Origin of Species” (Butler),
24

Darwin, Sir Charles (1887–1962),
68

Darwinism,
17–20
,
22–24
,
27
,
186

and Hobbes,
4

limits of,
31
,
186–88
,
190–91
,
217

and symbiogenesis,
112

Davidge, Robert,
215–16

Davies, Donald, and packet switching,
150

Davis, Martin, on mathematical logic,
130

Dawkins, Richard,
27
,
28

de Morgan, Augustus (1806–1871),
41

death, and evolution,
31
,
186
,
188
,
190–91

Death into Life
(Stapledon),
198

DEC system 10 (computer),
120

defense calculator (IBM model 701),
91

Defense Communications Agency, U.S.,
152

demons, computational,
185

Descartes, René (1596–1650),
3–4
,
25

design.
see also
argument from design and nature
,
12
,
27
,
186–87
,
214–15

Design for a Brain
(Ashby),
176

Detection of Needles, and other Steel Instruments, impacted in the Human Frame
(Smee),
46

Devenish, Fred,
221

devil, and artificial intelligence,
213

Dewdney, A. K., on computability,
54

difference engine (Babbage),
40
,
41

differential analyzer,
61
,
80
,
81
,
85

digital computers.
see also
computer architecture
;
ENIAC
;
EDVAC
;
IAS computer
;
IBM
;
memory
;
microprocessors
;
software
;
Turing machine

and banking,
165
,
167
,
170

binary, envisioned by Leibniz,
37

and the brain,
89–90
,
108
,
155–57

and evolution of evolution,
32
,
119
,
128
,
216

mainframe,
167
,
189
,
207

and nuclear weapons,
75
,
78–79
,
83
,
92
,
111

origins and evolution,
2
,
6–10
,
36–44
,
56–62
,
66–70
,
75
,
80–84
,
87–92
,
97–107
,
111
,
121–24
,
144
,
160
,
178–80
,
183–84
,
188–89

personal,
11
,
98

proliferation of,
2
,
8–13
,
30–31
,
61–62
,
92
,
109
,
121–24
,
184
,
192
,
205
,
214–16
,
226–28

and telecommunications,
7–12
,
144
,
148–52
,
205–208

digital universe,
9–10
,
113–17
,
121–30
,
215–16
,
225
,
228

open or closed? 53,
130
,
228

dinosaurs,
174
,
202

diodes,
179
,
203

Discourse on method
(Descartes),
25

disks, computer,
7
,
8
,
98
,
102
,
122
,
209

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