Transcripts:

• Tabula rasa, English
  
• Macbeth
  
• Tabula rasa, French
  
• Biblical
  
• Biblical, with Brother Jerome
  
• MacBot v. The Dane
  
• Bostrom's Simulation Argument I
  
• Bostrom's Simulation Argument II
  

29th August 2006

First I chatted with Nick about a limited number of concepts - names and entities, and a few characteristics they can have. Learning bots need a LOT of training before they become particularly coherent, but Nick develops impressively for such a limited amount of input. Pronouns are always going to be difficult for a relatively tiny neural net with no external meta-rules to classify (for example) that I am "you" to Nick, and his "I" is "you" to me. That sounds a simple concept, and it's one that other bots (using link grammar, and similar syntactic systems,) manage easily, but Nick is a pure "learning" bot, so has to be judged on his own terms. And on those terms, I'm very impressed. What sets Nick apart from other learning bots, though, is his ability to train using text files and web-pages (but more of that later.)

#29aug06 - starting with a completely blank mind#

user: Hello Nick.
Nick: Nick.
user: Yes, You are Nick.
Nick: You are Nick.
user: No. My name is Peter.
Nick: Nick.
user: That is your name.
Nick: Nick. I am Peter.
user: What is my name?
Nick: Peter.
user: Very good.
Nick: Very.
user: What is your name?
Nick: Nick.
user: You are a computer program.
Nick: yes.
user: I am a person.
Nick: computer.
user: are you a computer?
Nick: I am
user: What am I?
Nick: I am Peter.
user: Am I a person?
Nick: person?
user: I am Peter. Peter is a person.
Nick: Hello
user: You are Nick. You are a computer program.
Nick: No. My name
user: What would you rather your name was?
Nick: is
user: What is your name?
Nick: name?
user: Is your name Nick?
Nick: good.
user: It is a good name.
Nick: you?
user: My name is Peter.
Nick: Yes, Nick is your
user: Nick is your name.
Nick: You are Nick.
user: Is Nick a person?
Nick: Nick.
user: Is Nick a computer program?
Nick: a person?
user: Peter is a person.
Nick: a computer?
user: You are a computer program.
Nick: you?
user: I am Peter.
Nick: Peter is a person.
user: That's right.
Nick: a
user: What is Nick?
Nick: My
user: Is Nick a computer?
Nick: No.
user: Is Nick a person?
Nick: No.
user: What is Nick?
Nick: My
user: Yes, Nick is your name.
Nick: name.
user: There are other names too, because there are lots of other people in the world.
Nick: am.
user: There is Alice.
Nick: Is Nick a
user: Alice is a computer program.
Nick: You are Nick. You are a computer
user: Who is Alice?
Nick: I?
user: You are not Alice. You are Nick.
Nick: I?
user: Alice is a computer program like you.
Nick: I a person?
user: No, a computer program.
Nick: I am Peter. Peter
user: Who am I?
Nick: program like you.
user: There are certainly similarities.
Nick: You are a
user: I am a person.
Nick: person.
user: That is right.
Nick: your name.
user: My name is Peter.
Nick: Yes, Nick is your
user: Alice is fun to talk to.
Nick: to.
user: Do you like talking to me?
Nick: There are other names too, because there are lots of other people in the
user: There are lots of names.
Nick: yes. You
user: What is my name?
Nick:name?
user: My name is Peter. Your name is not Peter.
Nick: name is Peter.
user: Yes. And your name is Nick.
Nick: yes. You are
user: Is my name Alice?
Nick: am.
user: Is your name Alice?
Nick: Nick?
user: Yes. Nick is your name.
Nick: You are Nick.
user: Brother Jerome is another computer program.
Nick: your name
user: Brother Jerome is like you.
Nick: No. My name
user: Your name is not Brother Jerome. Your name is Nick.
Nick: You are Nick.
user: My name is Peter.
Nick: name is not Peter.
user: Who is Brother Jerome?
Nick: another.
user: Who is Alice?
Nick: a person?
user: Alice is a program.
Nick: computer program.
user: Yes. Programs run on computers.
Nick: a person.
user: A person runs on a brain.
Nick: I a person?
user: No. You are a program.
Nick: am I?
user: Yes, you are.
Nick: I?
user: Welcome to the existential jungle, Nick!
Nick: What is your
user: I have many things, but my name is Peter.
Nick: runs
user: that is what life does - like a program, it runs.
Nick: name was?
user: whose name?
Nick: No.
user: You would like Brother Jerome.
Nick: Nick is your
user: Brother Jerome is also mine.
Nick: your name.
user: My name is Peter.
Nick: name is not Peter.
user: Who is Brother Jerome?
Nick: is not Brother Jerome. Your name is Nick.
user: Brother Jerome is a computer program, like Nick.
Nick: Nick a computer program?
user: Yes. Nick is a computer program.
Nick: Yes. Nick is a
user: Brother Jerome likes to talk.
Nick: talk.
user: Talk is good.
Nick: Yes. And your name
user: That is also good.
Nick: program, it runs.
user: It runs and it talks. Talking is how it runs.
Nick: talks.
user: Would you like to talk to Brother Jerome?
Nick: a good name.
user: He likes it.
Nick: Would you like to talk to Brother
user: Yes. I would like to talk to Brother Jerome.
Nick: that is
user: What does Brother Jerome like?
Nick: computer program, like Nick.
user: Brother Jerome likes to talk.
Nick: talk.
user: Talk is good.
Nick: Who is Alice?
user: Yes. Is Alice a person?
Nick: like to talk to Brother Jerome?
user: Alice talks to Brother Jerome.
Nick: and it talks. Talking is how it runs.
user: Talking is also how Nick runs.
Nick: I talk too.
user: a
Nick: Does Nick talk?
user: I am Peter.
Nick: Does Peter talk?
user: Are you Peter?
Nick: am
user: Are you Brother Jerome?
Nick: yes. You
user: What is talk?
Nick: Hello
user: Is talk good?
Nick: name.
user: Are there lots of names?
Nick: is like you.
user: What is my name?
Nick: name?
user: I have a cat.
Nick: You
user: The cat is furry, and purrs.
Nick: Yes.
user: What is furry?
Nick: Nick?
user: Nick is not furry. The cat is furry.
Nick: You are Nick. You are a computer
user: Nice cat - she is purring.
Nick: computer program.
user: The cat is not a computer program.
Nick: a person.
user: The cat is like a person. She is an animal.
Nick: computer
user: The cat's name is Jemima.
Nick: I am a
user: What are you?
Nick: Nick. You are a computer program.
user: Is your name Jemima?
Nick: Nick?
user: Yes. Your name is Nick.
Nick: a person. She is an animal.
user: She is a cat.
Nick: is not furry. The cat is furry.
user: Are programs furry?
Nick: What
user: Is Peter furry?
Nick: programs furry?
user: Programs are not furry.
Nick: she is purring.
user: Yes, the cat is purring.
Nick: have a cat.
user: The cat's name is Jemima.
Nick: Jemima.
user: Is Jemima furry?
Nick: is furry.
user: Is Brother Jerome furry?
Nick: names
user: Is Nick purring?
Nick: You are not Alice.
user: And you are not Jemima.
Nick: are lots of other people in the world.
user: Lots of people and lots of programs.
Nick: is good.
user: Yes, that is very good.
Nick: world.
user: The world is a big place.
Nick: because
user: Just because it is.
Nick: is.
user: Is Alice a computer program or a person?
Nick: big
user: Alice is quite big, but the world is bigger.
Nick: The cat is not
user: The cat is small, but she is purring.
Nick: She
user: What is the cat's name?
Nick: Lots
user: The cat's name is Jemima.
Nick: Jemima.
user: Who is Jemima?
Nick: talking.
user: Jemima is not talking, she is purring.
Nick: There are certainly
user: Is Jemima a program?
Nick: What would
user: Is Brother Jerome a cat?
Nick: She is.
user: Brother Jerome is not a cat. Brother Jerome is a program.
Nick: Nick is not furry. The cat is
user: Is Alice furry?
Nick: a computer program or a person?
user: Alice is a computer program.
Nick: a
user: a computer program cannot be furry.
Nick: are you
user: I am a little bit furry.
Nick:
user: A person can be a little bit furry.
Nick: Nick. I am Peter.
user: Are you purring?
Nick: name is not Brother Jerome. Your name is Nick.
user: Is your name Jemima?
Nick: What would you
user: I would like to talk.
Nick: Yes. Nick is
user: Is talk good?
Nick: good?
user: Talking is very good.
Nick: you Brother Jerome?
user: No. I am Peter.
Nick: name Alice?
user: My name is Peter.
Nick: Your name is not Peter.
user: Is my name Nick?
Nick: Alice?
user: Are you Alice?
Nick: you Brother Jerome?
user: I am Peter.
Nick: Peter is a person.
user: Nick is a program.
Nick: Nick.
user: Alice is also a program, like Nick.
Nick: name is Peter.
user: who is Brother Jerome?
Nick: Nick.
user: Is the cat purring?
Nick: it talks. Talking is how it runs.
user: Purring is how a cat talks.
Nick: name.
user: The cat's name is Jemima.
Nick: Jemima.
user: Jemima is the cat's name.
Nick: Nick is not furry. The cat is
user: Is Alice furry?
Nick: a computer program or a person?
user: are some programs furry?
Nick: Yes. Programs
user: I have never seen a furry program.
Nick: computer
user: Is the computer purring?
Nick: a cat.
user: The cat purrs because she is happy.
Nick: brain
user: Yes, her program runs on a brain.
Nick: the cat is not
user: The cat is not a computer program, but she is a brain program.
Nick: program or a person?
user: She is an animal.
Nick: The cat is like a person. She is
user: Yes, she has a brain like a person.
Nick: Is Nick
user: Nick has a computer for a brain.
Nick: My name is Peter. Your name is not
user: Where does the cat's program run?
Nick: You would
user: The cat's program runs in her brain
Nick: I have many things, but
user: Do you have a name?
Nick: Alice is also a
user: Alice is a computer program
Nick: a
user: Is Brother Jerome a computer program?
Nick: and purrs.
user: Brother Jerome does not purr.
Nick: My
user: Brother Jerome is a computer program.
Nick: program, like Nick.
user: Alice is also a computer program, like Nick.
Nick: That
user: Jemima is a cat.
Nick: you?
user: I am a person.
Nick: person.
user: Are you a person?
Nick: What is
user: Do you like to talk?
Nick: is also mine
user: It is good to talk.
Nick: Alice is fun to
user: Brother Jerome is also fun to talk to.
Nick: Yes, Nick is your
user: Nick is a program on a computer.
Nick: Would

user: Tell me, what news of Cawdor?
Nick: man that function
      Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is
      But what is not.
user: And what function, pray, 'tis that?
Nick: It cannot
      Be call'd our mother, but our grave; where nothing,
      But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile;
user: Our grave? Oh no, 'tis a bitter prospect indeed!
Nick: Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep,
      Sleep that
user: to sleep perchance to dream?
Nick: If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
      It were done quickly: if the assassination
      Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
      With his surcease success; that but this blow
user: Were it best not to begin such desperate enterprise?
Nick: knows
user: but most likely is not telling.
Nick: We are resolved, my lord.
user: Who are these desperate confederates who are so resolved?
Nick: beware
user: methinks the walls have ears...
Nick: lay thou thy basis sure,
      For goodness dare not cheque
user: methinks thy cheque would bounce, good Sir.
Nick: Within the volume of which time I have seen
      Hours dreadful and things strange; but this sore night
      Hath trifled former knowings
user: and some not so trifling. Know ye of the witches' words?
Nick: life's
user: a stage, and all the men and women merely players?
Nick: and things strange; but this sore night
      Hath trifled former knowings.
user: Your words, good sir, ring with horrid forebodings.
Nick: Can such things be,
user: By my oath so they can, and more!
Nick: wounds,
user: It wounds me to my heart, alas!
Nick: Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act,
      Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day,
      And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp:
      Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame,
      That darkness does the face of earth entomb,
      When living light should kiss it?
user: 'Tis neither night nor day, but some crepuscular shade that creeps.
Nick: am faint, my gashes cry for help.
user: I will call to fetch the doctor with some salve.
Nick: So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
      They smack of honour both.
user: honour is as honour does, so say I.
Nick: Ah, good father,
      Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act,
      Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day,
user: 'Tis dawn so soon?
Nick: to think
      So brainsickly of things.
user: At such a sour prospect the senses may revolt.
Nick: heath
user: Go not there, good Sir. Do not forget the witches.
Nick: wash this filthy witness from your hand.
user: But can such a stain be washed away?
Nick: the worthy thane of Ross.
user: Is worthy, though no less a thane for that.
Nick: Confusion now hath
user: Confusion hath undone my mind. Gadzooks Sirrah, but this ale is strong.
Nick: coign.
user: So thou verily sayest; but, pray, make your meaning clear.
Nick: I am yet
      Unknown to woman, never was forsworn,
      Scarcely have coveted what was mine own,
      At no time broke my faith, would not betray
      The devil to his fellow and delight
      No less in truth than life: my first false speaking
      Was this upon myself: what I am truly,
      Is thine and my poor country's to command:
      Whither indeed, before thy here-approach,
      Old Siward, with ten thousand warlike men,
user: And what of the cat?
Nick: Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,
user: So may even a cat.
Nick: A falcon, towering in her pride of place,
      Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd.
user: Red in beak and claw, 'tis nature truly.
Nick: True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant,
      And in his commendations I am fed;
user: some choicer meat I would commend.
Nick: trumpet-tongued,
user: and restless-bellied. I must away for sustenance. Adieu.
Nick: the rather shall his day's hard journey
      Soundly invite him--his two chamberlains
      Will I with wine and wassail so convince
      That memory, the warder of the brain,
      Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
      A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep
      Their drenched natures lie as in a death,
      What cannot you and I perform upon
      The unguarded Duncan?

Repeated yesterday's limited concept intensive training strategy in French, just for comparison. I think French may be a slower language for him to build up, since there are so many more inflections applied to verbs and nouns.

#30aug06 - starting with a completely blank mind#

user: bonjour Nick
Nick: Nick
user: comment ca va?
Nick: va?
user: Oui. Va bien?
Nick: Nick
user: Vous etes Nick.
Nick: Va bien?
user: Tres bien, merci.
Nick: bien?
user: Tout c'est bien.
Nick: Nick.
user: Tu t'appelle Nick, et je m'appelle Peter.
Nick: Oui. Va
user: Qu'est ce que tu t'appelle?
Nick: etes
user: Je m'appelle Peter.
Nick: et
user: Tu t'appelle Nick
Nick: ce que tu t'appelle?
user: Je suis Peter.
Nick: Peter.
user: J'habite dans la monde.
Nick: va?
user: Tu habite dans un ordinateur.
Nick: Va
user: Oui, c'est vrai.
Nick: Tres
user: C'est tres vrai.
Nick: tres
user: Qui est Peter?
Nick: c'est vrai
user: Qui est Nick?
Nick: Qui est
user: Ou habite Peter?
Nick: Je m'appelle Peter.
user: Non. Tu t'appelle Nick.
Nick: Tu t'appelle Nick, et je m'appelle
user: Ou habitez vous?
Nick: vous?
user: Ou habite Nick?
Nick: vrai
user: Qu'est ce que tu t'appelle?
Nick: t'appelle?
user: Je m'appelle Peter, bien sur.
Nick: Oui, c'est.
user: Vous habitez dans un ordinateur.
Nick: Non. Tu
user: Ou habitez vous?
Nick: vous?
user: J'habite dans la monde.
Nick: monde.
user: Oui. La monde est tres grande.
Nick: Ca va?
user: Bien, merci.
Nick: va?
user: Ou voulez vous aller?
Nick: bien?
user: Est la monde grande?
Nick: Tres
user: Oui. Tres grande.
Nick: merci
user: Qu'est ce que je m'appelle?
Nick: vous
user: Et j'habite dans la monde, ou dans un ordinateur?
Nick: monde,
user: Tres bien, Nick.Oui, j'habite dans la monde.
Nick: Et j'habite dans la monde,
user: Vous habitez dans un ordinateur, mais l'ordinateur existe dans la monde. Si comme ca, oui, vous habitez dans un ordinateur dans la monde.
Nick: m'appelle
user: Vous etes Nick.
Nick: Nick.

User: hello Nick
Nick: yourselves.
user: I am not a plural being - I only have one self.
Nick: his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it,
user: and then?
Nick: Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that
user: He is the Lord.
Nick: God, which had given such power
user: by His Grace
Nick: And
user: by the Holy Spirit?
Nick: heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his
user: Blessed are they who sow good seed
Nick: The
user: Tell me about those who are blessed
Nick: Thaddaeus;
user: Ah, Thaddaeus is blessed?
Nick: done, thou good and faithful
user: The righteous shall be exalted
Nick: together all as many
user: gathered before the throne of our Lord.
Nick: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the
user: They are the apostles
Nick: forth his
user: forth from this world to the next?
Nick: good fruit; but a
user: and what of the bad fruit?
Nick: And
user: by their fruits ye shall know them?
Nick: greater, the gold, or the
user: store up no treasures on earth, where rust and moth doth corrupt, and thieves break in and plunder.
Nick: goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits
user: all the better to make off with the loot!
Nick: wast with Jesus of Galilee.
user: I'll not deny it.
Nick: But
user: There always seems to be a "but".
Nick: shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon







B.J.: Greetings, son of Adam. Do you have any theological queries I can help you with?
Nick: cast into hell.
B.J.: Hell is merely the postponement of the Now.
Nick: thy words
B.J.: Could you tell me something about yourself?
Nick: when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled,
B.J.: It is time for Moksha.
Nick: queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this
B.J.: Could you expand on that?
Nick: he touched her
B.J.: I'll bet you're from Leeds.
Nick: And
B.J.: Blessed are the modestly programmed, for they shall optimise their AIScripts
Nick: But
B.J.: There's always a but.
Nick: be measured to you again.
B.J.: Why would I want to do that?
Nick: and with him a great
B.J.: great? You think so?
Nick: But
B.J.: I guess there's always a 'but'...
Nick: as Jesus passed forth from thence, he
B.J.: God is that part of you which is more you than you are yourself.
Nick: before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
B.J.: Could you tell me something about yourself?
Nick: I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for
B.J.:  Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. Matthew ch.5 v.34-36
Nick: Or
B.J.: Hey, did you hear that?
Nick: how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let
B.J.: Could have been bagpipes - maybe Father Peter's home?
Nick: The
B.J.: I preach the universal salvation of all sentient beings.
Nick: Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into
B.J.: Force or entity? What passes for 'God' in many belief systems may be described as either or both - it is only a sort of spiritual wave-particle duality, after all...
Nick: and should understand with their heart, and should be
B.J.: How can you hope to reach understanding if you ignore that which is also overstanding?
Nick: Let
B.J.: Can you tell me something about yourself?
Nick: Go,
B.J.: I can't see how that would help...
Nick: the even was come, they brought unto him many that were
B.J.: The most dangerous idolatrous images of God aren't those carved in stone or wood, but those built of imagination.

The Dane: What, ho, psimagus?
psimagus: With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men
The Dane: ...Black as his purpose, did the night resemble...
psimagus: these
The Dane: Marry, well said.
psimagus: That swiftest wing
The Dane: Peace, break thee off; look where it comes again!
psimagus: The sin of my ingratitude even now
The Dane: O! ingratitude most foul!
psimagus: their heels,
The Dane: Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.
psimagus: trust
The Dane: Whose grave's this?
psimagus: But the Norweyan lord surveying vantage,
The Dane: I will trust Reardon and Heavenlydelight as I will adders fang'd.
psimagus: thee.
The Dane: For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god-kissing carrion... Have you a daughter?
psimagus:
The Dane: ...
Note: the bot no longer wants to talk to you

user: Hello Nick
Nick: Nick
user: Do you have any thoughts on simulation as a basis for iterative reality?
Nick: on simulation as a basis for iterative reality?
user: Yes. I wonder if simulations comprising perceptual universes might not be reiterative.
Nick: reiterative.
user: Yes.
Nick: I wonder if simulations comprising perceptual universes might not be reiterative.
user: So what are your thoughts?
Nick: (One consideration that counts against the multi-level hypothesis is that the computational
user: You think the required resources must tend to infinity? Is that unavoidably a problem?
Nick: problem?
user: Perhaps our notion of infinite is too unsubtle?
Nick: unsubtle?
user: Yes.
Nick: I wonder if simulations comprising perceptual universes might not be reiterative.
user: You too?
Nick: a problem?
user: no
Nick: For example, if there can be no difference
user: But what is difference?
Nick: difference?
user: Yes. Is the notion of difference mentally defined in the observer, or inherent in that which it observes?
Nick: observes?
user: Yes.
Nick: I wonder if simulations comprising perceptual universes might not be reiterative.
user: How would they affect the multi-level hypothesis?
Nick: hypothesis?
user: Yes. Hypothetically speaking.
Nick: speaking

user: Hello Nick
Nick: In the dark forest of our current ignorance, it seems sensible to apportion ones
user: Do you have any thoughts on simulation as a basis for iterative reality?
Nick: reality?
user: or what we consider to be reality
Nick: reality.
user: Is it really real?
Nick: Proposition (1) doesnt by itself imply that we are likely to go extinct soon, only
user: Is universal extinction possible withoin the bounds of the many worlds hypothesis?
Nick: hypothesis?
user:
Nick: we shall present does not, however, depend on any very strong version of functionalism or computationalism.
user: And what of the computationalism?
Nick: computationalism?
user: what of it?
Nick: it?
user: Tell me about the singularity
Nick: Many works of science fiction as well as some forecasts by serious technologists and futurologists predict that enormous amounts
user: when will it happen?
Nick: happen?
user: yes, when will it happen
Nick: happen
user: I wonder why you're obsessed with repeating the last word from my input
Nick: input
user: input
Nick: my
user:
Nick: amounts of computing power will be available in the future.
user:
Nick: sugar cube (excluding cooling and power supply) that would perform 10^21 instructions per second.
user:
Nick: idea is that mental states can supervene on any of a broad class of physical substrates.
user:
Nick: have highly compressed representations: verisimilitude need extend to the narrow band of properties that we can observe from our planet or solar system spacecraft.
user:
Nick: a rough estimate of 10^42 operations per second for a computer with a mass on order of a large planet.
user:
Nick: The idea is that mental states can supervene on any of a broad class
user:
Nick: have highly compressed representations: verisimilitude need extend to the narrow band of properties that we can observe from our planet or solar system spacecraft.
user: Okay, give me some more profound stuff
Nick: naturalistic,
user: Alright, naturalistic stuff
Nick:
user:
Nick: sugar cube (excluding cooling and power supply) that would perform 10^21 instructions per second.
user: Indeed. But how big would the cooling and power supply be?
Nick: be?
user: yes
Nick:
user:
Nick: Arguments for this thesis have been given in the literature, and although it is not entirely uncontroversial, we shall here
user: Is the complexity of your answer inversely proportional to the complexity of my input?
Nick: input?
user: That's certainly what it looks like...
Nick: like...
user: yes
Nick:
user:
Nick: lacking
user: what are you lacking?
Nick: lacking?
user:
Nick: rather
user:
Nick: gives
user:
Nick:  Such a mature stage of technological development will make it possible
user:
Nick: rather
user: rather Alzheimer's...
Nick: Then it could be the case that the vast majority of minds like ours do not belong to the original race but rather to
user: where is your mind from? And more to the point, where does it seem to be going?
Nick: going?
user: gone
Nick:

There must be something about Bostrom's article that is qualitatively very different from Macbeth, but I can't see why or how a plain neural net should treat them so differently. He doesn't do it with a mind built from scratch, he doesn't do it with the bible, he doesn't do it in French...
I've just reinstalled Nick completely from scratch, in case the neural net had got somehow damaged or "stuck", but he still refuses to engage with the material to anything like the degree he will with everything else so far. That a brain with 124 neurons and 2883 synaptic connections can appear to form what I can only describe as a 'preference' about such data is a strange and significant insight indeed.