Three observations that changed my life [artificial intelligence]

Exactly whose childhood do I remember? Why is it that splashes leave only ripples? Could I copy myself into a computer? These three questions have, over the years, shaped my perception of the universe, of science, and above all of artificial intelligence. The first is a question about materialism, the second about persistence, and the third about simulation. My attempts to answer them have brought me firmly into the strong camps of both AI and artificial life.