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From: jjacobs@well.UUCP (Jeffrey Jacobs)
Newsgroups: net.ai
Subject: Searle, AI, NLP, understanding, ducks
Message-ID: <1919@well.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 12-Oct-86 15:26:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: well.1919
Posted: Sun Oct 12 15:26:35 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 13-Oct-86 06:13:10 EDT
References: <1918@well.UUCP>
Reply-To: jjacobs@well.UUCP (Jeffrey Jacobs)
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Organization: Whole Earth Lectronic Link, Sausalito CA
Lines: 50


I. What is "understanding", or "ducking" the issue...

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and
quacks like a duck, then it is *called* a duck.  If you cut it open and
find that the organs are something other than a duck's, *then*
maybe it shouldn't be called a duck.  What it should be called becomes
open to discussion (maybe dinner).

The same principle applies to "understanding".

If the "box" performs all of what we accept to be the defining requirements
of "understanding", such as reading and responding to the same level as
that of a "native Chinese", then it certainly has a fair claim to be
called "understanding".

Most so-called "understanding" is the result of training and
education. We are taught "procedures" to follow to
arrive at a desired result/conclusion.  The primary difference between
human education and Searle's "formal procedures" is a matter
of how *well* the procedures are specified .  Education is primarily a 
matter of teaching "procedures", whether it be mathematics, chemistry
or creative writing.  The *better* understood the field, the more "formal"
the procedures.  Mathematics is very well understood, and
consists almost entirely of "formal procedures".  (Mathematics
was also once considered highest form of philosophy and intellectual
attainment).

This leads to the obvious conclusion that humans do not
*understand* natural language very well.  Natural language processing
via purely formal procedures has been a dismal failure.

The lack of understanding of natural languages is also empirically
demonstrable.  Confusion about the meaning
of a person's words, intentions etc can be seen in every
interaction with your boss/students/teachers/spouse/parents/kids
etc etc.

"You only think you understand what I said..."

Jeffrey M. Jacobs
 CONSART Systems Inc.
 Technical and Managerial Consultants
 P.O. Box 3016, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
 (213)376-3802
 CIS:75076,2603
 BIX:jeffjacobs
 USENET: well!jjacobs

"It used to be considered a hoax if there *was* a man in the box..."