PHIL 200 Final: Turing's Can Machines Think

• School: McGill University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 200
• Professor: Emily Carson

Document Summary

Can machines think: definitions of machine" and think" are important in answering this question, so, instead of giving a definition, the question can be replaced by another which is expressed in relatively unambitious terms. Is passing turing"s test a necessary condition for intelligence, according to turing: no, failing the test does not show a lack of intelligence or lack of capacity for thought. Is passing turing"s test a sufficient condition for intelligence according to turing: yes, passing the test shows sufficient intelligence or capacity of thought. Arguments from disabilities: machines cannot be kind, resourceful, beautiful, friendly, have initiative, have a sense of humor, tell right from wrong, learn from experience, have a diversity of behavior . Response: there is no evidence that machines cannot do these things, people make hasty generalizations from the machines they have seen before, but these machines may be logically possible. He also asks you to challenge whether linguistic ability is.