Slime mold intelligence
Computer science searches in biological systems for ideas which might by
modeled in silico, e.g. artificial intelligence (AI), genetic algorithms (GA),
or neural nets. Hitherto the progress was somewhat disappointing. Like the rule
based classical AI which fades away. Or GA which approach solutions only
asymptotically. The reason for such inadequacies, is an adherence to
anthropomorphism. Robots are supposed to mimic humans, even think and feel like
humans. To me this avenue is barren, and time has come to search for simpler
alternatives which are more promising.
Let’s start with an important insight by the great philosopher Hans Jonas. “The
emergence of the human mind does not mark a great divide within nature but elaborates
what is prefigured throughout the life-world.” (The Phenomenon of Life ISBN
0-8101-1749-5).This is the most important conclusion of evolution theory. Since
evolution is a continuous process, the mind has also evolved in a continuous
fashion. Not only the mind but anything which makes us human, e.g., memory,
intelligence and creativity.
Computer scientists ought to turn their attention to simple organisms like an ameba
called Physarum polycephalum . When this ameba is subjected to a series
of shocks at regular intervals, it learns the pattern and changes its behavior
in anticipation of the next one to come,
according a team of Japanese scientists (Nature 451, 385 (2008)). Toshiyuki
Nakagaki of Hokkaido University in Sapporo and his colleagues say that their
findings “hint at the cellular origins of primitive intelligence”.( Saigusa,
T., Tero, A., Nakagaki, T. & Kuramoto, Y. Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 018101
(2008)).
Since lacking a nervous system amebas memory is embodied.
And so is their intelligence, manifested by their creative response to injury.
These experiments suggest that amebas may be trained in a Pavlovian fashion,
although this was not the research objective. Why not create simple objects
(robots) with ameba intelligence? Which may be achieved with CA.
v. CA memory
v. CA embodiment