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From: kerry@bcsaic.UUCP (Kerry Strand)
Newsgroups: comp.ai,sci.philosophy.tech
Subject: Re: Thought and Utility
Keywords: thermostats
Message-ID: <18930@bcsaic.UUCP>
Date: 14 Jan 90 07:21:04 GMT
References: <31821@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <0cTG02uf793w01@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> <7462@cs.utexas.edu> <5cK702mf795h01@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> <1213@oravax.UUCP> <35787@cornell.UUCP> <7691@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu>
Reply-To: kerry@bcsaic.UUCP (Kerry Strand)
Organization: Boeing Computer Services AI Center, Seattle
Lines: 32

In article <7691@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu> bloch@thor.UUCP (Steve Bloch) writes:
>turney@cs.cornell.edu (Jenn Turney) writes:
>>                        The answer to the question of whether the
>>decision procedure changes when the dial is turned depends on what you
>>consider to be the decision procedure...
>
>I would think the decision procedure is not just DETECTING whether
>some criterion is met, but DECIDING WHAT TO DO -- in this case,
>whether or not to turn on the heater.  If that's what we're interested
>in, the decision procedure IS changing, in that the action will be
>carried out under different conditions than it would have been
>before.

A thermostat is as much a decision-making entity as is the Great Divide
that runs down the backbone of the Rocky Mountains.  The continental
divide determines whether a particular drop of rain will flow to the
Atlantic Ocean or to the Pacific Ocean.  I can "change the decision
procedure" with a shovel by moving dirt that forms the ridge eastwardly,
which will result in more drops being selected to flow to the Pacific.

You may object that there is no feedback to the Great Divide on the
effect of its action.  But consider a thermostat that has been
disconnected from the heater.  It still functions the same, switching
its switch as the temperature changes.  Is it really "deciding what to
do?"


-- 
Kerry Strand        kerry@atc.boeing.com     uw-beaver!ssc-vax!bcsaic!kerry
Boeing Advanced Technology Center                         (206)865-3412
P.O. Box 24346  MS 7L-64             .
Seattle, WA 98124-0346               .