EFTA02405059.pdf

From: Joscha Bach Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2015 3:24 PM To: Jeffrey E. Subject: Thanks and finances Dear Jeffrey, thank you again for introducing me to Noam Chomsky; I have gotten a =unch of interesting ideas out of the last meeting (for instance, on the =ifferences between natural languages and programming languages, and the =elevance of that tangent for the conflicts between Marvin Minsky's camp =nd the connectionists). I looking forward to talk to him about this =could you forward me his preferred contact data, please?). Also, as far =s I understand, the notion that grammatical language is a genetically =etermined trait that only humans possess is shared by most linguists, =ut the question is how much of grammar itself is genetically =etermined, or emergent over some more primitive principle. We have made some progress with MicroPsi, extended the motivation model =nd built auto-encoders into the perceptual system. (Auto-encoders =bstract the input by reducing it into a few hidden nodes, and then =rojecting it back onto the input. By training the network to make the =nput look as much as the output as possible, while sending the =nformation through a bottleneck in the middle, the network can discover =edundancies and structure in the input.) Also, I am currently turning some of my ideas and insights into a book. We will set up another small workshop like the one last year, between =une 9 and 29. We still have enough funds in the MIT account; thanks to =ou! On the other hand, I need to ask for your support to help with our =lying expenses again, please. I will need some money for Taiyo's school =he will enroll in the German International School), and we have to pay =he tuition for the year in June. Aino will get into daycare this year. =IT has increased my salary, so it covers now 2/3 of our living =xpenses. Your last donation kept us afloat until now; for the next year =e will need about 86.000. (29K for tuition & daycare, 5K for traveling, =K for hardware and some appliances, and about 3900$ monthly deficit =etween salary and expenses for rent, food, healthcare.) Could you =lease help? With kind regards (and very grateful to be here!) — Joscha= 1 EFTA_R1_01445286 EFTA02405059