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Subject: Re: Computer Chess Programs & Intelligence

Author: Andrew Dados

Date: 02:53:07 03/14/01

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On March 14, 2001 at 05:35:16, Ricardo Gibert wrote:

>On March 14, 2001 at 05:25:37, Andrew Dados wrote:
>
>>On March 14, 2001 at 03:20:07, Bruce Moreland wrote:
>>
>>>On March 13, 2001 at 19:06:27, HECTOR MUNOZ wrote:
>>>
>>>>There are some who might argue  that a computer chess program  is not a
>>>>demonstration of intelligence  in particular, a program which uses Shannon's
>>>>Type A  Approach. I need to present a solid argument that such a program
>>>>does involve intelligence.
>>>
>>>Everyone tries to answer this question without figuring out what they mean by
>>>"intelligence" first.
>>>
>>>The OED definition takes the better part of a page, and gives various usages
>>>dating back to 1390, although some aspects of the word are extremely new.  In
>>>particular, the use of the term "intelligence quotient" is said to date back
>>>only to 1921, as expressed in English.  That's the part of the definition that
>>>gets everyone tied up in knots these days.
>>>
>>>The first definition is "[t]he faculty of understanding; intellect."  The second
>>>one is "[u]nderstanding as a quality of admitting of degree; spec. superior
>>>understanding; quickness of mental apprehension, sagacity."  The others don't
>>>seem to apply much.
>>>
>>>I don't think the dictionary is very helpful here.  This word seems too large
>>>for the dictionary.  Perhaps someone has written a book or an article that gets
>>>to the point, but failing that, I'll take a crack at it, as it relates to
>>>computer programs.
>>>
>>>I believe that intelligence is displayed if a program can generalize effectively
>>>within a sufficiently complex problem domain.  It's not enough to be able to
>>>handle specific cases, it must be possible to be effective in a wide variety of
>>>cases, via the use of general-purpose code.
>>>
>>>Chess, a game that has fascinated humans for hundreds of years in its current
>>>form, and much longer if we allow for precursor forms, seems like it would
>>>qualify as a sufficiently difficult domain.  Humans devote their lives to the
>>>game and the game remains fresh and challenging.
>>>
>>>I believe that the current programs generalize very well.  They can play
>>>essentially any position.  There are some that cause them problems, but there
>>>are a great many that they play well enough to challenge a strong human when the
>>>human plays against the program, and they can be used even by very strong humans
>>>in order to provide insight in very difficult positions.  These positions are
>>>rarely foreseen by the program's author, but the program is still very
>>>effective.
>>>
>>>I think that intelligence is essentially the ability to effectively handle
>>>difficult specific cases with general-purpose methods, and the chess domain,
>>>while very specific, is rich enough that it requires the ability to generalize
>>>in order to tackle the wide variety of practical cases a program is apt to face.
>>>
>>>Copyright (C) Bruce Moreland, 2001.  All rights reserved.  Permission to use all
>>>or part of the above in a homework assignment is given only under the condition
>>>that any quotation is accurately attributed.
>>>
>>>bruce
>>
>>I doubt chess domain is wide enough for 'generalization' here. If a program
>>could learn Thai chess in 5 min as all chess-playing humans do I would attribute
>>it some 'intelligence'.
>
>Why do they have to do as fast or play as well to be intelligent? Those are
>standards for being "as intelligent" rather than simply being intelligent. A
>chimp can't learn to play Thai chess, but they are still intelligent.

Indeed. So let's say learn thai chess in 20 years :)
Or create some other game.
Or _develop_ some idea of 'beauty' or 'goal'.

Somehow intelligent means 'transcendent' to me.

And while chess program can play chess I would expect it to be able to play Thai
chess, too. Or to learn that N+R vs R is dead draw after few games. Or to
prepare against given opponent. Or study openings on its own.

>
>>
>>For now traversing Shannon tree with huge speeds and evaluation function
>>'correct' in 99,96% or so I call 'good craftsmanship'.
>>
>>-Andrew-



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