Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!leah!itsgw!steinmetz!crdgw1!uunet!aablue!jb From: jb@aablue.UUCP (John B Scalia) Newsgroups: comp.ai Subject: Re: Where might CR understanding come from (if it exists) Summary: Your poor task is a poor example Keywords: tasks CR Message-ID: <559@aablue.UUCP> Date: 30 Mar 89 15:57:02 GMT References: <9560@megaron.arizona.edu> <2568@crete.cs.glasgow.ac.uk> <4079@xyzzy.UUCP> <2599@crete.cs.glasgow.ac.uk> <4275@xyzzy.UUCP> <28867@sri-unix.SRI.COM> <4506@xyzzy.UUCP> <2691@crete.cs.glasgow.ac.uk> Reply-To: jb@aablue.UUCP (John B Scalia) Organization: A A Blueprint Co., Inc. - Akron, OH Lines: 30 In article <2691@crete.cs.glasgow.ac.uk> gilbert@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Gilbert Cockton) writes: > [Some deletions here] >For one, human minds are not artefacts, whereas computer programs >always will be. This alone will ALWAYS result in performance >differences. Given a well-understood task, computer programs will >out-perform humans. Given a poorly understood task, they will look >almost as silly as the author of the abortive program. Right, Gilbert. I could argue equally well that anything/person performing a poorly understood task will always be outperformed by a person/thing accomplishing a well understood task. This has to be true even if both "laborors" are human. Else, we'd all have children born who can already speak all languages as well as performing integral calculas, instead of adults who despite years of "programming" cannot read or write. Hey, the "wiring" is in place, but it takes years of "programming" to make it accomplish much. On this same vein, computer programs are still much simpler running on much more simple hardware, but they are still deeply related and much more guaranteable. I believe here lies most of the AI problem: most of us have a hard time with a computer program which produces an error where a human being erring is not only possible but often expected. -- A A Blueprint Co., Inc. - Akron, Ohio +1 216 794-8803 voice UUCP: {uunet!}aablue!jb Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who FidoNet: 1:157/697 wants to spend their life in an institution. EchoNet: US:OH/AKR.0