Friday, October 20, 2006

Artifical inteligence


Some philosophers, including John Searle, say that computers are not really intelligent. Rather, they just simulate intelligence. However, it could be argued that, just as computers are programmed to respond in different ways to different commands, so human beings are 'programmed' by society, and education, to perform certain tasks. For example, we are programmed to do complicated things like speak a language, as well as more simply things like brush our teeth.What are your thoughts on this comparison? Is there any difference between the programming of computers, and the 'programming' of humans by society?

Computers can simulate actions like humans but most human action is based on emotions which are not taught. With computers, feeling may not always be easily programmed because humans can cry or laugh at awkward moments, while computers may laugh because it is programmed to believe something is funny or sad, with no real understanding on why.
Computers are mostly as smart as the people who build it. With all the knowledge we have it is still really hard to rebuild a human body with artificial parts and make it work like normal and with all the science we have developed and continue to develop to understand a humans. How can we think that artificial intelligence can take over certain human characteristics when we have computers can never have sense of being or can never really, feel, hear, or see.
People are programmed to be a certain way because of society’s norms but a lot of people are also very stubborn and sometimes rebellious and regardless of norm will do things differently.

posted by Esther Dee @ 3:53 PM 1 comments

Friday, October 13, 2006

Physical System

Should we, as human beings, think of ourselves as made out of two different substances, like Decartes argued? Or are you persuaded by the arguments of physicalism that we are purely physical beings?
If you agree with Descartes, how would you explain the fact that our mental life seems to be very closely connected to a physical organ, namely the brain. If you agree with physicalism, how do you explain the fact that our mental life seems to be like nothing else in the physical world (think of how unique something like consciousness is, for example).
Write your thoughts on these issue

I find neither of these options satisfying simply because although we are physical being our thoughts effect us. Some people even start to feel things because of a thought or a situation that came to mind. I feel its almost impossible to seperate the 2 regardless of how the argument of doubt works.
Saying the mind is indivisable and the body is, shows us that this doesn't work well. Even if we can cut our body into little pieces it nullifies it previous function. The mind is also divisable because tragic events can cause our mind to seperate but it also won't function well. in order for us to work as a physical being well we need all parts of ourselves

posted by Esther Dee @ 4:26 PM 0 comments