[ExI] The symbol grounding problem in strong AI

[John Clark]

On Dec 13, 2009, at 12:56 PM, Gordon Swobe wrote:

>> Incidentally why do you suppose Searle
>> didn't replace the little man with one of
>> those punch card reading machines? It could certainly
>> do a better job than a real flesh and blood human, so why
>> not use it? 
> 
> Such an argument would not address the question of strong AI, where a strong AI is defined as one that has mindful understanding of its own words

In other words you mean the ability to read symbols and use that information to accomplish a task, like arrange a large set of cards in a particular order and print new information in that symbolic language on the cards. Come to think of it I don't believe those old punch card machines even used vacuum tubes, they were purely mechanical. 

> and does not merely speak mindlessly.

If you think something can behave intelligently without a mind then that word has no meaning for you, it is, dare I say it, mindless.

 John K Clark





> Searle considers that the difference between weak and strong AI, and on this point I agree with him. 

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