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From: Ben Goertzel To: Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com> Cc: Cosmo Harri an , Joscha Bach Subject: "Intelligent Virtual Animal" research proposal Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 07:41:47 +0000 Attachments: Goertzel_Hanigan_Bach_Epstein_Proposal_2014.pdf Hi Jeffrey, After a bunch of discussion and collaboration, here is a proposal from myself, Cosmo and Joscha, describing some collaborative research work we would love to do over the next 18 months. The basic idea is to "start simple" (while building on some of the powerful tools that Joscha and I have built over the last years), and aim to scientifically validate our approach (a subset of OpenCog, including OpenPsi which is modeled on Joscha' Psi/MicroPsi model and which Joscha would like to help evolve further) in the context of a virtual animal.... Specifically we would like to implement a bunch of parrot-oriented animal intelligence tests in a virtual world, and have OpenCog control a "virtual psittacene bird" that reasons and learns about its virtual environment and (without hacking specifically for the tests) performs on these tests similarly to a real parrot like Irene Pepperberg's Alex. Due partly to Joscha's influence, this is more science-oriented and less engineering-oriented than my prior proposals to you, but nevertheless, in the course of doing this experimental intelligence evaluation, lots of valuable engineering and testing will get done... We started out talking about doing something involving experiential language learning (which would leverage the OpenCog NLP work currently going on in Hong Kong). However, on reflection, it seemed that if we wanted to do an experiential language learning project in a really solid way, it would be best to *first* get "parrot level language and animal behavior" truly compellingly, demonstratedly solved -- and then move on to more sophisticated language. (Of course, human toddler language is not evolutionarily descended from parrot language, but if one looks at the issues more abstractly one can see a progression there.).... So if this project goes forward, I'd say a natural next step would be to follow this up with a "virtual toddlers in a virtual world learning language" project. But, first things first.... When you have time, perhaps the four of us could do a Skype call (or good old telephone conference call) to discuss? Thanks a lot, Ben EFTA00709564 Ben Goertzel, PhD http://goertzel.org "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." -- George Bernard Shaw EFTA00709565