When machine becomes mind.

There is a theory in current cognitive science that suggests that if a number of partially interconnecting nodes in certain configurations, in numbers equal to the neurons of any particular animal's brain, would constitute a kind of animal intelligence.

Prelimenary work on this theory is inconclusive, although some success has been made in replicating certain types of intelligence. Creating original and beautiful (by human opinion) music, is one. Chess, and many other games can be played by computers. There are examples of them painting complex original works, for another. I could go on, but not all night.

It's amazing (in my opinion) that we have made it this far. Humans don't tend to ever lose technology. They just find less use for it over time. If there was a graph, it's apex is usually within a century of it's invention. This in itself is a recent development, but only if you consider the entirety human history. Before than, the apex may have come millenia after the initial discovery that led to the technological revolution.

Assuming we can continue innovating (we don't run into a catastrophe) then it's safe to assume at some point we'll create a program, running on hardware that is difficult to imagine, that we can replicate a complete and witty computer mind.

A decade or so later, we might have one on a 1000$ machine. Imagine, if the herPhone or hePhone itself was worth calling.

But none of this will be possible without a fuller understanding of the human brain. As it is right now, we've only really scratched the surface on how the chemistry of our emotions is made up. There are pheromones, hormones, peptides, cannibinoids, and loads of other amazing and difficult to reproduce strings of proteins and other chemistry that are at play inside your head, even as you read this.

So not only will we have to master interconnections and plasticized circuitry, evolving cognitive patterns, and a hundred other attributes of thought, we must replicate the organic compounds, or at least their neurological and psychological effects. Add to this, the trouble of teaching the computer to "learn" instead of just being fed databases. To truly integrate information, ideas, and other creations into the Nodemind. To make it's own conclusions based on the available information, and it's own experiences since it was first activated, as we do. You may be reading the term Nodemind here first.

So, when our hePhones or herPhones have simulated faces, and simulated minds, are helpful, friendly, sometimes rude/polite, sometimes interesting/annoying, in short, rounded individuals, will humanity be ready to accept them? Will we still be so foolish as to think of such an entity as a possession; as owned?

What will be the rights assigned to them? What will we consider crimes, both commited against them, and by them? What would be the punishment? What would they consider rewarding, that we could provide? Perhaps like us, they will be curious, inquisitive, explorers of the digital universe. How will they be limited? Will they all be able to communicate with the others like them? Will they want to? Could they ever plot against us without us knowing? Will we remember to include a failsafe?

Sounds like what used to be questions for science fiction is about to include a jolt of alarming reality.