Computing Machinery and Intelligence

CSC 261 - Weinman

Answer the following questions. Record your answers in your Reading Journal.

1. Do you think the Imitation Game as described by Turing is a valid test of the question "Can a machine think?" Briefly explain your answer.
2. Select one argument against the Imitation Game as offered by Turing in Section 6 Contrary Views on the Main Question (pp. 442-454).
   1. Briefly summarize the objection and Turing's response. What do you think of the exchange?
   2. Do you agree with the objection? Why or why not?
   3. Do you agree with Turing's reply? Why or why not?
   4. Do you think the objection still makes sense, over 50 years after Turing wrote it?
3. Turing uses the last section of the paper, Section 7 Learning Machines (pp 17-21), to counter Lady Lovelace's objection that computers cannot learn.
   1. What is your reaction to the argument? Why?
   2. Regardless of how you evaluate Turing's argument, what do you think about "learning machines?" Do you think machines can learn? Be careful to clearly define what you mean.