Talk:Artificial life

From Academic Kids

In the first sentence, "human-made analogs"; shouldn't it be "analogues". I'm not too sure though.

There is nothing (I know of) that says that artificial (read intelligent) life cannot be a result of a neural net, artificial or not, either simulated in programmes or physically laid out. I did not add the neural network reference, but I don't see why you are dismissing it out of hand. Could you explain your position a bit more fully? - Reigh

Ehr. I dont agree with that! Life does not have to be intelligent - intelligence does not have to be incorporated into life. An neural network does not create children, instead it augments itself. Neural networks dosnt have any need for any incoming energy (food), and could therefor not be considerd to be alive in the TRADITIONAL meaning. A neural network is a mind without a body - that is no life, it is just an mind. what exactly is life? (i dont belive in life) - smaffy

First of all the fact that something does not have children does not mean that the element is not alive. Also from historical reasons, Neural Nets ARE part of the Artificial Life research. Neural Nets articles are a tool used by people in Artificial Life, and often a medium of research. Articles on Neural Nets, are part of an Artificial Life conference. So, I put it back. Pietro

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The phrase particularly well defined doesn't make sense to me in:

• "The field is particularly well defined by the tools it uses"

Could we just say

• "The field uses" ...
• "The field is defined by the tools it uses", or
• "The field is associated with tools it uses"

- Jeff 23:09 Nov 4, 2002 (UTC)

Yep, it does look weird, I have rewritten the section as "the field is characterised the extensive use of computer programs..." and also the surrounding sections quite a bit. --Lexor 11:22, 27 Sep 2003 (UTC)

reverted text

I reverted this text out of the article. I'll leave it to someone familiar with the topic to decide how/whether to incorporate this info into the article in a proper format. - Kbh3rd 05:02, 23 Jan 2005 (UTC)

(My first attempt at editing... May be the moderators can fix the links or edit it if this is not relevant) There have been very important developments in the biological and genetic aspects in this field in the last 5 years. I will list these as a time line with the links in text format. Saturday, 18 December, 2004, 07:43 GMT Scientists create an artificial cell that can hold DNA to become artificial life. Some Researchers at Rockefeller University in the US have made the first tentative steps towards creating a form of artificial life. Read more in this article. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4104483.stm Thursday, 13 November, 2003, 19:04 GMT Scientists use DNA to make virus. The naturally occurring virus does not infect people US scientists have produced a wholly artificial virus using a method they claim could lead to new lifeforms. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3268259.stm Thursday, 11 July, 2002, 23:28 GMT 00:28 UK First synthetic virus created Scientists have assembled the first synthetic virus. The US researchers built the infectious agent from scratch using the genome sequence for polio. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2122619.stm Wednesday, 21 February, 2001, 04:15 GMT Synthetic virus nearing reality Scientists must overcome hurdles with DNA before synthetic lifeforms become a reality Scientists will have the technology to create a wholly artificial virus within the next five years, a major conference in the US has been told. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2001/san_francisco/1181710.stm Thursday, 21 November, 2002, 12:29 GMT Genome man to create new life Scientists in the United States are to press ahead with plans to create a new lifeform in the laboratory. Dr Craig Venter - the man behind the privately funded human genome sequence - and Dr Hamilton Smith - a Nobel-Prize-winning geneticist - want to create a man-made microbe with the minimum number of genes needed to sustain life. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2499119.stm

Updating

A lot has happened in A-Life since the 80's...

Indeed - it might be an idea to add some information about Steve Grand, his Artificial Life projects (Lucy, the Creatures series of games for PC) and his books on the subject. ~Liamlala of the Creatures Wiki

Although I should point out, Steve Grand's work is not universally accepted within the scientific world.

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I notice that both John Von Neumann and Stephen Wolfram get fancy epithets. I doubt we need to inform the reader that Von Neuman is a "math and computer prodigy" or that Wolfram is a "brilliant and controversial scientist". They probably should be removed. - 69.105.95.207 16:43, 29 May 2005 (UTC)