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From: person@plains.NoDak.edu (Brett G. Person)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Re^2: Chinese Room Experiment: empirical tests
Message-ID: <7330@plains.NoDak.edu>
Date: 29 Dec 90 07:30:09 GMT
References: <1990Dec3.134710.25467@canon.co.uk> <1990Dec4.184809.28874@agate.berkeley.edu> <3461@b17a.INGR.COM>
Organization: North Dakota State University, Fargo
Lines: 20

Ahem!
     Twas brllig and the slithy toves
        Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.
     All mimsy were the borogoves
        And the mome raths outgrabe.

Try translating this.  These are all valid words, most just aren't used in a
sane way. So that the overall effect is nonsense verse.  In fact, Carroll
gave the world a new word in chortle.  Which now has a vernacular meaning
substantially close to his intended meaning.  Thus, he effected language. A
symbol (chortle) came to mean a certain type of laughter.

This, I will contend, is the Chineese room in action.  None of us really
understand Carroll, but we can still enjoy his works.

Flame away!
--
Brett G. Person
North Dakota State University
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