I think people understand that their calculator can do arithmetic much faster than they can. No?
Yes, but there’s a leap from there to the idea a computer might be able to run the equivalent of neurons faster than a person. It might need to be stated explicitly for people who aren’t use to thinking about these issues.
This could simply be an indication that the brain’s architecture is not well-optimized for arithmetic. It doesn’t necessarily imply that calculators are faster.
The computer I had in 1999 had occasional difficulties in carrying out real-time emulation of a gaming console released in 1990. That doesn’t mean the console had better hardware.
I don’t think that many people consciously connect the two ideas- again, we’re talking about a short but essential inferential leap. (I’ve known some very smart people who were surprised when I pointed out this particular fact, by the way.)
I think people understand that their calculator can do arithmetic much faster than they can. No?
Yes, but there’s a leap from there to the idea a computer might be able to run the equivalent of neurons faster than a person. It might need to be stated explicitly for people who aren’t use to thinking about these issues.
Okay. I added a parenthetical: “computer circuits communicate much faster than neurons do”.
This could simply be an indication that the brain’s architecture is not well-optimized for arithmetic. It doesn’t necessarily imply that calculators are faster.
The computer I had in 1999 had occasional difficulties in carrying out real-time emulation of a gaming console released in 1990. That doesn’t mean the console had better hardware.
I don’t think that many people consciously connect the two ideas- again, we’re talking about a short but essential inferential leap. (I’ve known some very smart people who were surprised when I pointed out this particular fact, by the way.)