Natural intelligence in a counterattack against artificial intelligence (a polemical response to “How to Create a Mind” by Ray Kurzweil)

Abstract

By turning to geometric metaphors, the author defends the naturally based intelligence and – in the context of analysing Ray Kurzweil’s conception – criticises the artificial in­telligence. The focus is on the ability of man and machine to solve the so-called unsolv­able problems. This issue is discussed in conjunction with the issues of hierarchy, homo­geneity and heterogeneity, contradiction and analogy, meaning and information. Argu­ments are given to support the following ideas: 1) digital technologies do not overcome the fundamental limitations of analogue technologies, thus AI capabilities are also ir­reparably limited; 2) the natural intelligence works in an original way (not by analogy), so there can be no insoluble theoretical problems for it; 3) in a healthy human brain, there is neither excess nor deficiency, it does not need artificial improvement; 4) incomplete actualisation of the brain potential is not a weakness, but a strength and special feature of the human mind; 5) the theory of artificial intelligence is characterised by excessive re­ductionism and fetishization of speed.