Calculance: A "Core" Ability

post by milanrosko · 2024-06-12T07:21:03.170Z · LW · GW · 0 comments

Contents

  There has been a long-standing gap in the English language for a single word representing the specific ability to perform effective logical operations. Introducing "calculance" to fill this void.
  "The new update to the physics engine has less calculance, allowing it to run smoothly on lower-end hardware."
  "The new update to the physics engine reduced its computational demands, allowing it to run smoothly on lower-end hardware."
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There has been a long-standing gap in the English language for a single word representing the specific ability to perform effective logical operations. Introducing "calculance" to fill this void.

We could posit a priori (or reckon) that intelligence fundamentally arises from two core components: A goal and the ability to "world simulate", termed "calculance".

The English language lacks a dedicated term, equivalent to the German "Rechenfähigkeit", for the capacity to perform calculations and logical operations. Calculance fills this crucial gap.

(I have to stress that "Rechenfähigkeit" doesn't translate to computational power, "Rechenleistung".)

For better understanding, it would losely correspond to something like this:

Experts often awkwardly refer to FLOPS or computational power, followed by a kind of unspoken understanding, as if to say, "You know what I mean, the good FLOPS!" Although these concepts are related, FLOPS et al don't necessarily indicate the quality of computation. "Calculance," on the other hand, better represents the functional dimension of a computing system, beyond just the number of operations per second. 

But again, it is not a computer science term, but a concept, akin to how the word "deep" in Deep Learning captures a performance metric.

Whether exploring human minds or designing intelligent machines, embracing the term could unlock a new level of clarity and precision in describing the inherent interplay of purpose and calculation that produces intelligence.

"The new update to the physics engine has less calculance, allowing it to run smoothly on lower-end hardware."

"The new update to the physics engine reduced its computational demands, allowing it to run smoothly on lower-end hardware."

Just an idea.

(A final note: I mostly like the word because of its sound. It could also serve as a vessel for a concept that would benefit from having its own unique term.)

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