well I would suppose it meant that if you close your eyes so that the room is empty you have a misconception as to the state of reality, there is not actually a connection to the room being empty and your eyes being closed it just seems like there is to you.
thus there is not actually a connection between the neural net being randomly wired and it not having any preconceptions as to how to play, it just seems like that to Sussman.
I have never found these zen koan things very interesting though. Also I think there is much more likely a connection between a neural net being randomly wired and not having preconceptions than closing of eyes emptying out rooms.
They're just jokes, not supposed to have much meaning beyond a superficial connection to zen stories. Any attempt to read into them will be frustrating.
The sound of one hand clapping is the powerful slap I give across the face to the absolutely vile product manager that added the new absurdly loud Android TV YouTube startup sound that cannot be disabled:
"Because they don't use their own products" I replied.
Minsky began scribbling in his notebook at a furious pace.
"What are you writing?" I asked of Minsky.
"Just another obituary for an undead product" replied Minsky.
At that moment, I became enlightened. I realized Gmail was undead, and YouTube was on its way to becoming a zombie too!
"So Google is purgatory?" I blurted out, flustered.
"As much as a slap is one hand clapping!" replied Minsky.
I instantly became enlightened and Ram Dass appeared, as if from the heavens. I knew what my mission now was. To ridicule Google on Hacker News in front of their employees so they reverse this beyond stupid decision some idiot in a position of power made. ;-)
/slap
goldenkey slaps YouTube PM around a bit with a large trout
thus there is not actually a connection between the neural net being randomly wired and it not having any preconceptions as to how to play, it just seems like that to Sussman.
I have never found these zen koan things very interesting though. Also I think there is much more likely a connection between a neural net being randomly wired and not having preconceptions than closing of eyes emptying out rooms.