Comment on Is it theoretically possible to construct a self reproducing mechanical device?
Rentlar@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
Because you say mechanical that does preclude chemical reactions…
At least a basic level of a real world self-replicating “device” in an abstract sense, you can “grow” some crystals given sufficient substrate liquid.
I think it is theoretically possible, and may be easier at to realize at a microscopic scale since you can get a sufficient amount of liquid that can be considered a ‘functionally-infinite’ space and the device can more freely float around without having to worry about needing complex dextrous parts to put things in the right place.
My idea of a simple self-replicating device that operates mechanically, would be putting together a loose ball of dandelion seeds. It floats around in the area and if there are dandelion fields where it goes, it can pick up the seeds, and if it bumps into a random obstacle in the landscape it will break into parts that can pick up other seeds.
turdas@suppo.fi 2 weeks ago
Precluding chemical reactions would pretty much make this impossible, given that any non-trivial machine would have to refine raw materials which would involve chemistry.
Rentlar@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
You’re absolutely correct on that. For the sake of the thought experiment and trying to keep to the spirit of the conditions, my dandelion ball device is a “purely mechanical” device driven by external resources of wind, and the chemical and biological related to growing dandelions also considered external.