Chapter 16 Can Computers Think (now or in the future)? Can Computers Think (now or in the future)?

How important is this chapter to understanding how computers work? 2 or 3 maybe on a scale of 1 to 10

How Important is this chapter in learning how to use a computer? 2 on a scale of 1 to 10

First Define Intelligence Characteristics Rational Activities of Human Beings Allow for processes of higher mammals that people regard as intelligent Allow for alien intelligence Learning from mistakes Exclude automatic responses such as those from one cell organisms Exclude mechanical operations Characteristics Rational Activities of Human Beings Allow for processes of higher mammals that people regard as intelligent Allow for alien intelligence Learning from mistakes Exclude automatic responses such as those from one cell organisms Exclude mechanical operations

Consciousness Have you ever worked on a problem that you couldn’t solve and then gone to bed. The next morning when you got up, you had figured out the answer to the problem, or at least found a totally new way to look at the problem that helped you solve it. This work was done unconsciously. Therefore you didn’t even know how you figured out how to solve the problem. Have you ever worked on a problem that you couldn’t solve and then gone to bed. The next morning when you got up, you had figured out the answer to the problem, or at least found a totally new way to look at the problem that helped you solve it. This work was done unconsciously. Therefore you didn’t even know how you figured out how to solve the problem.

Kornhuber’s Experiment Hold up your hand and randomly raise your forefinger 5 times during the next minute or two. H. H. Kornhuber performed this experiment with several people after putting electrodes on various parts of their bodies. It was observed that the electrodes responded in a particular way 1 to 1.5 seconds before the finger was raised. This means that your body appears to know that you are going to raise your finger before you decide to so so. Hold up your hand and randomly raise your forefinger 5 times during the next minute or two. H. H. Kornhuber performed this experiment with several people after putting electrodes on various parts of their bodies. It was observed that the electrodes responded in a particular way 1 to 1.5 seconds before the finger was raised. This means that your body appears to know that you are going to raise your finger before you decide to so so.

Kornhuber’s Experiment Based on this experiment it appears that “free will” may not really exist (since your body seems to know what you’re going to do before you do.)

How can smart people do that computers can do? Doing arithmetic quickly and accurately is something that people used to think required lots of intelligence. Chess playing software can beat all but the best human players and at least one time a particular program beat the world’s champion. However the way that chess playing programs work is not at all the same as the way that human players work. Doing arithmetic quickly and accurately is something that people used to think required lots of intelligence. Chess playing software can beat all but the best human players and at least one time a particular program beat the world’s champion. However the way that chess playing programs work is not at all the same as the way that human players work.

How could we determine if a computer could think? How can I tell if you can think? I give you a test. Black-Box Test. Give the subject problems to solve and look at the solution. Do not look at the methods used to determine the solutions. This means that if the subject uses the wrong method to solve the problem but makes a mistake that cancels out the other mistake a black box test will not detect it. White-Box Test. Give the subject a problem to solve and look not only at the solution but also the method used to solve it. So of a subject chooses the wrong method but gets the right answer a white box test will discover this. How can I tell if you can think? I give you a test. Black-Box Test. Give the subject problems to solve and look at the solution. Do not look at the methods used to determine the solutions. This means that if the subject uses the wrong method to solve the problem but makes a mistake that cancels out the other mistake a black box test will not detect it. White-Box Test. Give the subject a problem to solve and look not only at the solution but also the method used to solve it. So of a subject chooses the wrong method but gets the right answer a white box test will discover this.

‘Testing for Intelligence Turing Test-- paraphrased A tester communicates with two subjects, one a person and one a computer. The tester is in a different room from the other two and communicates via instant messenger. The tester controls the situation by asking questions and oterhwise communicating with the other entities. At the end of the test, which is a short time later (maybe 10 minutes) the tester has to determine which of the two entities is the person and which one is the computer. If the tester is unsure, then the computer is intelligent. Turing Test-- paraphrased A tester communicates with two subjects, one a person and one a computer. The tester is in a different room from the other two and communicates via instant messenger. The tester controls the situation by asking questions and oterhwise communicating with the other entities. At the end of the test, which is a short time later (maybe 10 minutes) the tester has to determine which of the two entities is the person and which one is the computer. If the tester is unsure, then the computer is intelligent.

Turing Test Concluding What’s wrong with the test? It’s too narrow. Dolphins couldn’t pass the test and we know that dolphins are intelligent. Blind or deaf or otherwise handicapped people might not be able to take the test. It’s too broad. It’s a black box test and not a white box test, so we don’t know how the other entity obtained its responses. What’s wrong with the test? It’s too narrow. Dolphins couldn’t pass the test and we know that dolphins are intelligent. Blind or deaf or otherwise handicapped people might not be able to take the test. It’s too broad. It’s a black box test and not a white box test, so we don’t know how the other entity obtained its responses.

Chinese Room Test Put a person in a room and ask him to translate Chinese to English. We assume that the person knows no Chinese but has a list of rules that can be used. The Chinese could (probably) be translated but that would not prove that the person had any understanding of Chinese. BUT translating from one language to another (or in fact any intellectual pursuit) involves firing neurons in the brain and chemical changes which may be similar to following the algorithm involved above. Put a person in a room and ask him to translate Chinese to English. We assume that the person knows no Chinese but has a list of rules that can be used. The Chinese could (probably) be translated but that would not prove that the person had any understanding of Chinese. BUT translating from one language to another (or in fact any intellectual pursuit) involves firing neurons in the brain and chemical changes which may be similar to following the algorithm involved above.

Historical Examples Mycin -- a computer program that contained 500 rules that allowed it to diagnose blood infections by asking questions. It even supplied reasons for its diagnosis. It worked as well as specialists and better than GP’s. It is an example of an expert system. Dragon Naturally Speaking -- a computer program that takes human speech and translates it into a word processing file. Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov, the world’s chess champion. Speech Works, created a system that “understands” human speech. Mycin -- a computer program that contained 500 rules that allowed it to diagnose blood infections by asking questions. It even supplied reasons for its diagnosis. It worked as well as specialists and better than GP’s. It is an example of an expert system. Dragon Naturally Speaking -- a computer program that takes human speech and translates it into a word processing file. Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov, the world’s chess champion. Speech Works, created a system that “understands” human speech.

Summary To determine whether computers are intelligent we must first determine what we mean by intelligence. A reasonable way to define intelligence is by using tests to see if the computer system can pass them. Black box test White box test Turing test To determine whether computers are intelligent we must first determine what we mean by intelligence. A reasonable way to define intelligence is by using tests to see if the computer system can pass them. Black box test White box test Turing test

Summary (Continued) Computers can perform certain tasks as well as most humans: Chess playing (although the method that skilled players determine a move is different from how computers determine a move) Expert systems provide results on a par with experts. Currently computers are incapable of performing tasks at a level that most of us would say characterizes intelligence. Computers can perform certain tasks as well as most humans: Chess playing (although the method that skilled players determine a move is different from how computers determine a move) Expert systems provide results on a par with experts. Currently computers are incapable of performing tasks at a level that most of us would say characterizes intelligence.

Terminology Black-Box test White-Box test Turing Test Black-Box test White-Box test Turing Test