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Subject: Re: The Chess Room Argument [by John R. Searle]

Author: Robin Smith

Date: 19:21:16 03/16/01

Go up one level in this thread


On March 15, 2001 at 00:53:41, Lonnie Cook wrote:

>On March 14, 2001 at 19:50:02, Robin Smith wrote:
>
>>On March 14, 2001 at 18:49:25, Djordje Vidanovic wrote:
>>
>>>On March 14, 2001 at 15:04:28, Peter McKenzie wrote:
>>>
>>>>On March 14, 2001 at 14:07:36, Christophe Theron wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On March 14, 2001 at 13:03:27, José Antônio Fabiano Mendes wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>         http://personalidentity.tripod.com/id27.htm
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Part 2 is a real bullshit. The author tries to demonstrate that computers do not
>>>>>"know" chess, and he actually demonstrates that he does not "know" computers and
>>>>>that he does not "know" the human brain.
>>>>>
>>>>>I have heard more meaningful comments in a pub, even very late at night.
>>>>
>>>>Ah yes, Searle's argument is clearly refuted by the well known reasoning:
>>>>'Christophe says it is bullshit, therefore it is bullshit'.  I happen to
>>>>disagree with Searle's Chinese Room argument, but I don't think its as clear as
>>>>just saying it is a pile of crap.  In fact, I think he makes some very good
>>>>points.
>>>>
>>>>Peter
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>    Christophe
>>>
>>>
>>>I tend to agree with Peter.  Searle's argument is based on a simple stipulation
>>>that the coded instructions of a program (Chinese character manipulation program
>>>in the given case) are insufficient to account for the meanings of the symbols
>>>or of the set of sentences generated with their help.  This, further, implies
>>>that functional, or computational, explanations are insufficient to account for
>>>referential semantics (plain English: reference), and, as such, for
>>>intentionality which is the hallmark of humans.
>>>
>>>This kind of argument can be criticised, but not dismissed lightly.  I've been
>>>having problems for quite some time with it :-))
>>>
>>>***  Djordje
>>
>>Searle goes on in section 3 to talk about the problem of consciousness.  This is
>>a REAL hard problem.  Why is it that some brain processes result in
>>consciousness, or awareness, or a sense of self .... Descartes "I think
>>therefore I am", while other brain processes such as those that regulate heart
>>rate, blood pressure, intestinal action etc. are outside conscious experience?
>>Until we understand consciousness in humans I don't see how anyone can answer
>>questions about whether or not what a computer does (such as Deep Blue) makes it
>>conscious.
>>
>
>Deep Blue won, just accept it, heehee

Lonnie,

I HAVE accepted it.  In fact I was routing for Deep Blue at the time!  But that
does nothing to settle the question of computer consciousness.



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