[ExI] Meaningless Symbols

[John Clark]

On Jan 12, 2010, Gordon Swobe wrote:

> we ask whether implementing a formal program can give the mind that capacity to ground symbols. If it can then we should be able to do an experiment in which a mind obtains that cognitive capacity from mentally running a program.

How on Earth is this experiment supposed to work? There is no way you can know what its cognition is, all you can do is observe what it does, and you say that tells you nothing regardless of how brilliant and charming it behaves. 

> But as it turns out, we do not obtain that capacity from mentally running such a program.

How on Earth do you know that?

> We'll know the complete answer someday.

There is not a snowball's chance in hell.

   John K Clark



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