Turing on Computers

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Turing on Computers

• Joe Lau

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Can computers pass the Turing test?

• A list of objections
• The theological objection
• Heads in the sand objection
• The mathematical objection
• The argument from consciousness

• Arguments from various disabilities
• Lady Lovelaces objection
• Argument from continuity
• Argument from informality
• The ESP argument

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The mathematical objection

• What can be proved
• Given any computer, there exist problems that it
  cannot solve (even with infinite memory).
• But
• Human beings might have similar limitations.
• Cannot show that they cannot think.

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Argument from consciousness

• "No mechanism could feel (and not merely
  artificially signal, an easy contrivance)
  pleasure at its successes, grief when its valves
  fuse, be warmed by flattery, be made miserable by
  its mistakes, be charmed by sex, be angry or
  depressed when it cannot get what it wants."

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Reply

• Not to be equated with the argument from
  solipsism.
• If the argument is accepted then other human
  beings also do not think.
• We rely on the usual evidence to justify the
  attribution of consciousness.

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Computers cannot ...
Be kind, resourceful, beautiful, friendly, have
initiative, have a sense of humour, tell right
from wrong, make mistakes, fall in love, enjoy
strawberries and cream, make some one fall in
love with it, learn from experience, use words
properly, be the subject of its own thought, have
as much diversity of behaviour as a man, do
something really new.
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Various comments

• Versions of arg. from consciousness
• False generalization
• current computers cannot do X, so no computer can
  do X.
• Limited memory
• Computers cannot make mistakes
• errors of functioning vs. errors of conclusion

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Lady Lovelaces objection

• Ada Bryon 1815-52
• Daughter of poet Byron
• Promoted Babbages machines
• Predicted that machines can write music and
  assist research
• First programmer? (Probably not)

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An often-quoted comment

• The Analytical Engine has no pretensions whatever
  to originate anything. It can do whatever we know
  how to order it to perform. It can follow
  analysis but it has no power of anticipating any
  analytical relations or truths. Its province is
  to assist us in making available what we are
  already acquainted with.

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Can computers be creative?

• Creativity necessary for thinking?
• Creativity involves generating ideas and
  selecting and modifying those appropriate for a
  task.
• Creative insight, memory and randomness