Re: sphexish behavior in ants

From: Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Date: Wed Sep 05 2001 - 00:11:46 MDT


Spike Jones wrote:
>
> Since this went on for hours. Each of these ants walked
> back and forth up and down that trash can probably
> over a hundred times. They didn't learn. They simply
> behaved in a sphexish manner, as described on page 360
> in the Good Book by Hofstadter. Conclusion: ants are
> really stupid. I haven't a clue what this story has to do
> with extropianism, but my neighbors think Im some
> kind of kook, outside with a flashlight watching ants
> walk up and down my garbage can. spike

== From the Journal of Spike Jones ==

"Observation of Ant Behavior"

Trial 1: Watched ant. Ant walked down garbage can and back up again.
Trial 2: Watched ant. Ant walked down garbage can and back up again.
...
Trial 944: Watched ant. Ant walked down garbage can and back up again.
...
Trial 8,302: Watched ant. Ant walked down garbage can and back up again.

Conclusion: Ants exhibit highly sphexish behavior.

== end excerpt ==

-- -- -- -- --
Eliezer S. Yudkowsky http://singinst.org/
Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence



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