Indeed, the people who work on strong Artificial Intelligence expect to achieve their goal. There would be little reason to continue if they thought it couldn’t be done.
Others, like Penrose, say there is a point at which it can go no further. I doubt if I’ll be "in the flesh" when the issue is finally resolved.
But either way, any such strong A.I. device does not obsolete the human ensemble of anatomy, physiology and consciousness – and most importantly, the soul. Nevertheless, having such a self-maintaining and replicating intelligent device would be extremely important for space exploration, intelligence, defense, research, etc.
Agreed. Many episodes of "The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, Star Trek," etc. come to mind, of course. Also, "Blade Runner" (the director's cut, of course) Alien, yada yada yada....
BTW, ever see "Screamers?" It's a dark horse favorite of mine, bringing a kind of evolution to bear with AI.
Can I get a "Screamers" bump, anyone? How about a weekend video?