Milestone VV: Chapter 23

Snyder Chapter 23: Computers Can Do Almost Everything/Nothing- the Limits of Computation

 Ah. The age old question of whether computers can think on their own. Snyder chapter dives into this debate by presenting the idea that since computers and technology are rapidly evolving, is there a chance that a computer’s action may now be considered thinking rather than a complex algorithmic function? The presentation allowed me to examine this topic and come up with some “aha” moments along the way. At first, my initial instinctual answer to the question ‘do computers think?’ is no, of course not, silly. Computers are a bunch of wires and circuit boards glued together to obey my every whimsical command. MUWHAHA.

 But after being introduced to the Turing Test, an experiment invented by Alan M. Turing, that demonstrates the intelligence of a computer (check it out at www.turinghub.com) I became scaringly concerned about the way in which computers can interact and converse with humans, so much so that it almost seems realistic at times. Logically, the reason why your computer sometimes responds in a more humanistic way during the Turing Test is because of an algorithmic program that not only has set responses, but can also record questions asked and answers given previous to your test. Snyder also points out that the test may reveal that questions asking about emotions or metaphors may not receive as correct of a response as if you asked a more mathematical question and were chatting with a computer. Still, the thought that the test can most possibly deceive some people into thinking that they are talking to another human is just alarming all around.

The presentation on Thursday also allowed me to question whether technology made computers ‘think’ more intelligently or creatively. Although I understood the point that the concepts computers and thinking should not be allowed in the same sentence, since computers are not alive, and therefore cannot ‘think’, I had the opportunity to look up an article that explained the usage to Process Specification Language, or PSL, that “allows users to more precisely define a business process.” Meaning, this software basically enhances a computer’s task performance with business operations and functions by allowing the computer to ‘talk’ with other computers to obtain information and data and construct its own information system compliable with the user’s demands. It also will determine on its own what best procedure to implement when given a command. Impressive, for sure. But thinking?? Maybe. PSL definitely is one of many software that helps computer perform more efficiently and effectively without having to spell out every function we want it to do. The key however, is that the computer does not decide for itself  and on its own what it should do. There are programmed options based on certain critera that it follows. All in all, after all this testing and research, I still stand by my orginal statement that supports the fact that computers cannot think. Yet I now say it with a little bit of hesitancy, since software like PSL and the Turing Test has convinced me that with the advancement of programs and computers, my computer can be more realistic than 3 or 4 years ago. Therefore, I guess it’s hopeless now to ask my computer to jump out the window whenever I get frustrated. Instead, I should now expect it to simply say no, or call the police for attempted assault.