Generalization

"Generalization in human thought is far, far richer than mere substitution of variables for constants." (Page 77)

Once again Hofstadter is pointing out the complexities of the average human brain vs. the world's most powerful computers. Even today, with technology increasing at an alarming rate and processing power of computers going up every day human level computing power is still very likely 20+ years away. Knowing this, we need to come up with systems that can simulate human intelligence without necessarily need the same level of processing power that the human brain actually has. Obviously, this is a daunting task. So when it comes to Generalizations, and getting computers to make them, we need to define the ability to make generalizations.

Hofstadter does just this defining several points that make up the concept of generalization. I wonder though, exactly how we can really know everything the Human brain does during the process of generalizations. Because the thought processes behind generalization are so, so complicated, I wonder if we will ever truly understand everything that goes into it. If we do, I wonder exactly how powerful we could make computer programs for generalization then. Perhaps it would even be possible to streamline, optimize the process. Perhaps as AI gets more and more sophisticated the best generalizers in the world will no longer be humans, but machines, but not before we understand everything that goes into it i the human mind.