[epaga]

I think it means - just as closing your eyes doesn't mean the room becomes empty, wiring the learning network randomly doesn't mean you'll end up with no pre-conceptions (e.g. the rule system at least will need to be programmed in).

[blamestross]

It also doesn't avoid preconceptions directly. It just initializes random ones.

[shim2k]

Aren’t preconceptions not random by definition?

[kian]

I think he's suggesting that any given random set of preconceptions will itself be a 'sample' from the entire preconception-space, and therefor itself a preconception - just one that you didn't involve yourself in choosing.

[blamestross]

If your preconceptions were not random relative to the truth, wouldn't you be able to know how to correct them?