The Chinese Room Argument - 1272 Words

While proponents of strong AI believe that machines are capable of imitating human consciousness so well that it might be perceived as actually obtaining consciousness, others such as John Searle believe otherwise. Another logical stance on the question is accepting that machines are able to behave as though it has a conscious mind physically, but also arguing that machines will never be able to possess this consciousness as though a human would. This second type of viewpoint is considered Weak Artificial Intelligence, otherwise known as narrow artificial intelligence. Weak AI is acknowledging that machines can simulate consciousness computationally, but that is different from actually obtaining consciousness. One of the most widely known†¦show more content†¦Searle believed that simply manipulating symbols will not ensure computers are able to think or understand, in other words, knowing syntax does not mean understanding the semantics, and function does not mean understanding. There are of course many criticisms of Searle’s Chinese Room Argument, the main ones include the Systems Reply, the Robot Reply, the Brain Simulator Reply, the Other Minds Reply, and the Intuition Reply. In Searle’s Chinese Room Argument, the person inside the room is defined as not able to understand Chinese. But in response to that, the Systems Reply brings up the point that while the person might not know any Chinese, the system as a whole understands Chinese. The Virtual Mind Reply is similar to the Systems Reply in that the person inside the room might not understand Chinese by him or herself. But Virtual Mind Reply questions whether understanding is created or not. While the person in the room might not have any knowledge of Chinese at the beginning, running the system might create an agent that does have understanding of Chinese. The Robot Reply, while accepting that the person in the room might not understand Chinese or the computer in the room does not understand a particular language, suggests that â€Å"giving a computer a body† would mean something different for the computer. Being able to interact with the environment using sensors might enable the computer to learn. The Brain Simulator Reply suggests to consider the program beingShow MoreRelatedThe Chinese Room Argument Essay906 Words   |  4 Pages John Searle formulated the Chinese Room Argument in the early 80’s as an attempt to prove that computers are not cognitive operating systems. In short though the immergence of artificial and computational systems has rapidly increased the infinite possibility of knowledge, Searle uses the Chinese room argument to shown that computers are not cognitively independent. John Searle developed two areas of thought concerning the independent cognition of computers. These ideas included the definitionRead MoreA Critique Of The Chinese Room Argument2056 Words   |  9 Pages(Not) Mere Semantics: A Critique of the Chinese Room The Roman Stoic, Seneca, is oft quoted that it is the power of the mind to be unconquerable (Seneca, 1969). And so seems that, in recent times, Searle has produced a similar rhetoric. (At least insofar as strong AI might ‘conquer’ and reducibly explain mental states). This essay will attempt to do two things: 1) Examine three central objections to Searle’s Chinese Room Argument (CRA); these being the Systems Reply (SR), Deviant Causal Chain (DCC)Read MoreAnalysis Of Searle s The Chinese Room Argument Essay1597 Words   |  7 PagesSearle’s, The Chinese Room Argument, asks, if a computer can use data to output answers does that computer understand? In Searle’s experiment, he acts as a computer and is given translations of Chinese symbols. He states that even though he can find the appropriate translations for the symbols and output answers he still does not understand Chinese. Prior to my previous argument, I look to investigate in what instance ca n the computer be thought of as an understanding machine. In order to do thisRead MoreEssay about John Searles Chinese Room Argument2000 Words   |  8 PagesJohn Searles Chinese Room Argument The purpose of this paper is to present John Searle’s Chinese room argument in which it challenges the notions of the computational paradigm, specifically the ability of intentionality. Then I will outline two of the commentaries following, the first by Bruce Bridgeman, which is in opposition to Searle and uses the super robot to exemplify his point. Then I will discuss John Eccles’ response, which entails a general agreement with Searle with a few objectionsRead MoreMinds, Brains, and Science by John R. Searle1815 Words   |  7 PagesBerkeley (â€Å"John R. Searle,† 2014). Searle earned his Ph.D. in philosophy at Oxford, and has made several contributions to his field on topics, such as consciousness, artificial intelligence, and the problem of free will (â€Å"John R. Searle,† 2014). His â€Å"Chinese Room† experiment is known as one of the main critiques to the concept of artificial intelligence. In Searle’s book, Searle describes his thought process into this experiment during the second chapter, titled â€Å"Can Computers Think?† Searle’s purpose ofRead MoreWhy Functionalism Is A Better Theory Than Identity Theory1231 Words   |  5 Pagesto humans, so would count as having mental states. Therefore functionalists are saying that machines are conscious. But surely, only biologically living organisms have the platform to obtain a conscious mind, which is the brain. The absent qualia argument was raised by philosopher Ned Block against functionalism (Block, 1978). Qualia are our private experiences and sensations that are infallible and cannot be explained by words, like the smell of fresh coffee, or the sensation of pain, and thus theyRead MoreComputing Machinery And Intelligence By Alan Turing1469 Words   |  6 Pagesnature of machines’ capacity for thought or consciousness, such as John Searle. In his Chinese room thought experiment, Searle outlines a scenario that implies machinesâ€⠄¢ apparent replication of human cognition does not yield conscious understanding. While Searle’s Chinese thought experiment demonstrates how a Turing test is not sufficient to establish that a machine can possess consciousness or thought, this argument does not prove that machines are absolutely incapable of consciousness or thought. RatherRead MoreChinese Room Scenario by John R. Searle Essay531 Words   |  3 PagesChinese Room Scenario by John R. Searle Through the use of his famous Chinese room scenario, John R. Searle tries to prove there is no way artificial intelligence can exist. This means that machines do not posses minds. The debate between those who are in favor of strong and weak artificial intelligence (AI) is directly related to the philosophy of mind. The claim of weak AI is that it is possible to run a program on a machine, which will behave as if it were a thinking thing. BelieversRead MoreDualism Provides An Explanation For The Mind1100 Words   |  5 Pages Dualism provides an explanation for the relationship to the mind in several ways. The relationship between the two is a compelling argument that several philosophers make. Although the body is a psychical existence the mind is utterly non-psychical. The body and mind are innately different beings and we cannot perceive mind-body dualism with our senses. Humans are aware that individuals hold psychical and mental entities traced back to psychical sciences including size and color. Additionally,Read MoreThe Mind Brain Identity Theory1689 Words   |  7 PagesIn the article â€Å"The Nature of Mental States† Hillary Putnam presents a compelling argument that dealt a â€Å"considerable blow† to the Mind-Brain Identity Theory—a theory developed by J.C.C Smart—in which he [Putnam] stated â€Å"mental states are multiply realizable.† His argument is driven by functionalism. His functionalist account of mental states like pain differs from what is explained by the Mind-Brain Identity Theory. In turn, he also avoids the issue of multiple realizability, an issue that was proven