Levels and loops: the future of artificial intelligence and neuroscience

In discussing artificial intelligence and neuroscience, I will focus on two themes. The first is the universality of cycles (or loops): sets of variab les that affect each other ill such a way that any feed-forward account of causality and control, while informative, is misleading. The second theme is based around the observation that a computer is an intr insically dualistic entity with its physical set-up designed so as not to i nterfere with its logical set-up, which executes the computation. The brain is different. When analysed empirically at several different levels (cellu lar, molecular), it appears that there is no satisfactory way to separate a physical brain model (or algorithm, or representation)? from a physical im plementational substrate. When program and implementation are inseparable a nd thus interfere with each other, a dualistic point-of-view is impossible. Forced by empiricism into a monistic perspective, the brain-mind appears a s neither embodied by or embedded in physical reality but rather as identic al to physical reality. This perspective has implications for the future of science and society I w ill approach these from a negative point-of-view, by critiquing some of our millennial culture's popular projected futures.