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From: lee@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Greg Lee)
Newsgroups: comp.ai,talk.philosophy.misc
Subject: Re: Why discuss consciousness and free will? (longish)
Message-ID: <2881@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu>
Date: 23 Dec 88 18:36:21 GMT
References: <9378@bcsaic.UUCP>
Organization: University of Hawaii
Lines: 31

From article <9378@bcsaic.UUCP>, by ray@bcsaic.UUCP (Ray Allis):
" ...  The discussion in comp.ai demonstrates that definitions are
" still vague and most questions are open.

With the possible exception of those postings which have attempted a
taxonomy of intelligent behavior, surely no one thinks that this sort of
arguing over definitions could ever advance the discipline.  You can't
find out new things by constructing better definitions -- you may be
able to prevent discoveries by constraining the search.

" Put bluntly, AI's poor reputation
" and embarrassing lack of results are largely due to a mistaken belief in
" the supremacy of formal logic

How can attention to the nature of inference with due respect for
precision and rigor be mistaken?

" and premature attempts at engineering without benefit of theory....

Amen.

" Considering the investment involved, we would like our Mars Explorer to
" avoid stupid acts (like falling down some slope) which will compromise its
" mission. ...

This is close to a premise of a James Hogan SF novel.  In the future,
development of intelligent machines will be driven by necessity.
We will become so dependent on computers that their unintelligent
advice will prove disastrous for us.

			Greg, lee@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu