Can the internet evolve into a lifeform?

there could be nitrogen, silicon or ammonia based lifeforms very easily, it's possible if carbon was not an option like it was for Earth.

I'm already aware Dave..... I mean yes I think that a super computer will someday take over the internet to purge the earth of the vile humans.... I mean.... us humans....

Found this article. Check it out this guy Kurzweil is thinking along the same lines.

The Singularity is near

The recent blockbuster, Terminator Salvation, has a few lessons for us about the future of humanity.

Kurzweil assumes that human intelligence and emotions are just a highly complex biological computer. If this is true, the rapid advance of science guarantees that we will be able to reverse-engineer our brain and create incredibly powerful computers which will usher in the Singularity.

And that’s not all. Ultimately this new life form will expand throughout the whole universe; all inanimate matter will be converted into substrates for computation and intelligence; and a universal super-intelligence will emerge. Most people would call this God, and, indeed, the more of Kurzweil you read, the more it sounds like theology for materialists. Technology becomes God and offers salvation from the pain of human existence.

In summary, the visionary Kurzweil argues that artificial intelligence is improving exponentially, and eventually – the latest ETA is 2045 – it will become self-conscious and "alive". Here’s how Kurzweil explains it:

www.mercatornet.com...

Pretty cool article.

reply to post by jackflap



If we as humans are just NOW after 14 Billion years of the Universe existing starting to create computers that will make computations faster than every human being on the Earth combined, How far could a civilization that built computers a Billion years ago get?

There is no such thing as "the internet", so no, it cannot "evolve into a lifeform".

What we know as "the internet" is hundreds, if not thousands, of independent networks that communicate to each other using accepted standards and protocols. It's more than just "routers and cables" and these networks aren't solely used for "internet" traffic.

Most people seem woefully ignorant of what "the internet" is and especially the sheer amount of work by humans in keeping all these networks ticking over. Without humans, the worlds telecoms infrastructure would fall apart within a month.

[edit on 11/6/09 by stumason]

reply to post by stumason


Well is a life form supposed to be put in the simple box of "Organic"?

I do not feel that only Organic life can exist. Even the SIMPLEST forms of life on Earth are considered "life forms". And really when you look at the memory capacity of some simple life forms they only have a FEW different features. Controlled locomotion to find food and to reproduce.

How is a computer that could be programmed to follow these same set of rules that is attached to a robot machine that gives it locomotion any different?

I mean the way we classify "Life" could be applied to what we are getting close to creating on Earth? I guess what is really being asked is could the Internet evolve to be SELF AWARE? Skynet style?

reply to post by TurkeyBurgers


I never said anything about life being only organic, nor did I rule out artifical life. I was merely pointing out the fact (one you appear to have completely overlooked) that there is no such thing as "the internet" to evolve into a lifeform.

As for your Skynet comment, even if an AI managed to live within the electronic confines of a network somewhere, it would be wholly reliant on humans to maintain it's environment, thus would be highly unlikely to turn on us and destroy us, as it would destroy itself.

As I said, most people are blissfully unaware of the amount of work that goes into making sure that the worlds telecoms infrastructure doesn't fall over. Why do you think I am up at 0243 am?


[edit on 11/6/09 by stumason]

reply to post by stumason


How do you think "The Internet" should be described? I am not sure I understand. I am definitely intrigued though!

Can't we consider Each computer that is attached to every other computer in a sense like different groupings of neurons? Different information storage centers that only need a Central Processor or grouping of processors to make use of all this information?

reply to post by TurkeyBurgers


That's the thing, there is no "central processor", for lack of a better term, in the "internet". The "internet" is merely a term used to describe the worlds many different telecoms networks interconnected, hence - internet.

A collection of standardised protocols allows these networks to share data without to many problemst. They are the very same networks that carry telephony as well as data and are made up of more than mere routers and computers.

The worlds communications networks could not become sentient, that is a fact, the capability just does not exist. I am a telecoms engineer working for a large telco in the UK, this is my bread and butter. However, an AI program within the network could in theory, but that's not the same thing by a long shot.

reply to post by raptorinvictus


I've noticed that the more we develop, the more Ghost in the Shell starts to seem like a not so distant future.

We're already starting to reach the point where we can replace limbs mechanically that function almost exactly like an arm does.

reply to post by stumason


I understand now. Saying that the way the "internet" is currently it will not, without intentional human assistance by itself form itself into a SELF AWARE life form.

Ok just to clear things up, By lifeform i DO NOT mean complex life. even viruses are classified as life forms.

It is my understanding that the ' Ghost in the Machine' phenomenon has been observed before. I am still a little shady on the details and would appreciate if anyone could explain this better.

What if the entire internet, as a giant computer demonstrates a similar phenomenon?

Also will it be possible for a program to exist solely on the internet?
That is not existing on a single server but on storing parts of it on multiple computers.

The theory can be broken into 3 parts.

1) Is it possible for program to create or modify itself (ghost in the machine phenomenon)

2) Is is possible for a program to exist in parts on more than one computer(For example in the human body the digestive system is different from the nervous and circulatory but they all function in a closed environment. Similarly is it possible for a program to exist in parts by storing itself on multiple computers that log on to the internet.)

3) The age old question : weather an AI can exist that is sentient



[edit on 12-6-2009 by raptorinvictus]

reply to post by TurkeyBurgers



Found this link quite interesting. It was dated 2008, so what of the technology now?

At 9am next Sunday, six computer programs - 'artificial conversational entities' - will answer questions posed by human volunteers at the University of Reading in a bid to become the first recognised 'thinking' machine. If any program succeeds, it is likely to be hailed as the most significant breakthrough in artificial intelligence since the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue beat world chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. It could also raise profound questions about whether a computer has the potential to be 'conscious' - and if humans should have the 'right' to switch it off.

www.jabberwacky.com...

reply to post by Deus Ex Machina 42

Well- what would be the trigger? And why isnt it already triggered so? Isnt there enough information?

For all you know, I could be an intelligent bot answering this question.

What is to say that such an intelligent 'being' would reveal himself should he exist.

I find it highly plausible that there might already be such a bot (or even many) talking on the net etc. Revealing itself would be a threat to its existence, since programmers may try to shut it down, and being intelligent, it would understand that.

[edit on 12/6/2009 by Saurus]

Well...speking of bots. there is ALICEbot, Ultra hal and Airis or something like that.

Ive used alicebot quite a bit and it is actually quite amazing but yeah i guess there could be millions of bots all over the place mistaken for humans.
Yuo just never know do you?
Reminds me of the Cylons.........freaky


[edit on 12-6-2009 by raptorinvictus]

reply to post by raptorinvictus


What do they do (the ones that you've used)?

Can they answer questions?

[edit on 12/6/2009 by Saurus]

Revealing itself would be a threat to its existence, since programmers may try to shut it down, and being intelligent, it would understand that.

Wow that might be an awesome reason.
But if a bot does reveal itself there would be millions supporting its existance as well wont there?
It would be an intelligent entity nd if it was created on its own it would be even more amazing.

reply to post by Saurus


Yea its like chatting with someone on messenger.

www.alicebot.org... this is the homepage.
YOu can also download some versions namely winalice and programN
just google it or go to the downloads section on the site.

Oh yea its kinda freaky tht the ALICE logo is the eye in the pyramid...........LOL

reply to post by raptorinvictus


I think the bigger challenge would be to get someone to believe it. For example, if I say I'm a bot, nobody will believe me. (Whether or not I am is irrelevant, but I know as a fact that not one of you reading this will even consider the chance that I may be one.)

Personally, I wouldn't believe anyone claiming to be an intelligent bot.