Artificial Intelligence

2 Commentsby   |  10.11.10  |  The Beginnings of Scientific Psychology (Part III-B)

In Chapter 20, there is a section that discusses artificial intelligence: “a special branch of computer science that investigates the extent to which the mental powers of human beings can be captured by means of machines” (628-29).  There are those that argue relative degrees of how “intelligent” a computer can be.  The stance I agreed with the most was by John Searle.  Searle understood that computers only process symbols that humans give to them; therefore, if computers merely manipulate symbolic formulas, then true understanding and cognitive learning can never take place.  Computers do not have the ability to reason, because to reason means to involve an emotional aspect to the equation that a computer can never register. There is a study that shows that our brains do work extremely similarly to computers in that we too take symbols, recode them, and store then give symbolic output of our own.  However, computers will never be on the same reasoning spectrum as a human.  Isaac Asimov, an extremely popular science fiction writer, loved the idea of machines making it to the realm of humanity.  This is seen especially in works such as I, Robot and The Bicentennial Man and I highly recommend his works if you are interested in the realm of mechanism or artificial intelligence.

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2 Comments

  1. Alyssa Bowyer
    2:09 pm, 10.24.10

    I’ve always been interested in this as well. Many tv shows and movies have proposed different theories on this topic. Each displaying how close to human emotions one can get.One movie I always think of if the matrix. The robots use their logic and emotionlessness to overpower humans. Is this even possible? I doubt it, but only time will tell as we become more and more dependent on robotic appliances.

  2. Brandon Schmermund
    1:59 am, 10.25.10

    I believe with Jonathan that the main difference between humans and artificial intelligence is that we, as humans, have the ability to use reason in our perception of the way we interpret situations. I believe logical thinking can also be a way to distinguish a difference between humans and A.I. In a sense, we control what a computer can and cannot do. What is amazing though is that no matter how smart humans allow computers to become, computers will never be able to reach a level of thinking or understanding as humans because they lack a use of emotions.

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