Scott, if the question you’re asking is “Can they learn something by doing this?” and not “Can they build AGI?” or “Can they build FAI?” a whole different standard applies. You can also learn something by trying to take apart an alarm clock.
Much of life consists of holding yourself to a high enough standard that you actually make an effort. If you’re going to learn, just learn—get a textbook, try problems at the appropriate difficult-but-not-too-hard level. If you’re going to set out to accomplish something, don’t bait-and-switch to the “Oh, but I’ll learn something even if I fail” when it looks like you might fail. Yoda was right: If you’re going to do something, set out to do it, don’t set out to try.
Scott, if the question you’re asking is “Can they learn something by doing this?” and not “Can they build AGI?” or “Can they build FAI?” a whole different standard applies. You can also learn something by trying to take apart an alarm clock.
Much of life consists of holding yourself to a high enough standard that you actually make an effort. If you’re going to learn, just learn—get a textbook, try problems at the appropriate difficult-but-not-too-hard level. If you’re going to set out to accomplish something, don’t bait-and-switch to the “Oh, but I’ll learn something even if I fail” when it looks like you might fail. Yoda was right: If you’re going to do something, set out to do it, don’t set out to try.