Essay about John Searles Chinese Room Argument - 2000 Words

John 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 objections to definitions and comparisons. My own argument will take a minimalist computational approach delineating understanding and its importance to the concepts of the computational paradigm. Searles argument delineates what he believes to be†¦show more content†¦Understanding the notion of the Chinese room requires a bit of an explanation. Imagine you are solely an English speaking person in a room by yourself, armed with a pencil, and the only things on the walls are a series of instructions and rules. Th ere is a door in the room, and on the other side is a Chinese speaking person. This Chinese speaker is able to slide cards under the door upon which are written Chinese symbols and sentences. The instructions written on the walls allow you to respond appropriately to each symbol, well enough so that the Chinese speaker is fooled into thinking you have a formidable grasp of Chinese. Now imagine that instead of a Chinese speaker outside the room, there is an English speaker, and the same things are written. You would still respond appropriately, convincing the other that you are a native English speaker, which of course, you are. Searle feels that the two positions are unique in that, in the first instance, you are manipulating uninterpreted formal symbols, simply an instantiation of a computer program. In the second instance, you actually understand the English being given to you. In response to the first claim of the computationalists, Searle states, although you respond appr opriately, in no way do you understand the Chinese that you are being given and responding with. As far as the second condition, he counterclaims that the computer is simply functioning and thereShow MoreRelatedMinds, Brains, and Science by John R. Searle1815 Words   |  7 Pagesexplored by John R. Searle, in his book titled, Minds, Brains, and Science. The author is a renowned American philosopher, particularly in the philosophy of language and mind, and is currently teaching at the University of California, in Berkeley (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† experimentRead 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 MoreComputing Machinery And Intelligence By Alan Turing1469 Words   |  6 Pagescaptures the nature of machines’ capacity for thought or consciousness, such as John Searle. In his Chinese room thought experiment, Searle outlines a scenario that implies machines’ apparent replication of human cognition does not yield conscious understanding. 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However, with his paper: Minds, brains and programs published in 1980, John Searle has had a huge impact on the artificial intelligence issue worldwide. This essay will focus on Searles idea that computers are incapable of being conscious, and then analyse whether Searle is right in terms of his three main efforts: a critique of computationalism and strong ArtificialRead MoreQuestions On The Chinese Room1839 Words   |  8 PagesBrains, and Programs John Searle objects to Computational Theory of Mind (CTM), particularly that running a program on a computer and manipulating symbols does not mean that the computer has understanding, or more generally a mind. In this paper I will first explain Searle’s Chinese Room, then I will explain CTM and how it relates to the Chinese Room. Following this I will describe how the Chinese Room attacks the CTM. Next I will explain the Systems Reply to the Chinese Room and how the SystemsRead MoreAnalytic Functionalism As A Philosophy Of The Mind1247 Words   |  5 Pagesways to describe and characterize the mind. I will contend my point by first explaining the evolution into functionalism, specifically analytic functionalism. I will then explain one of the most prominent objections, the â€Å"Chinese Room† argument by John Searle. Beyond this argument , I will offer my rebuttals for these assertions and stipulate reasoning for analytical functionalism’s rational reliability as a suitable philosophy of the mind. With the decline of behaviorism, the identity theory, or typeRead MoreArtificial Intelligence. Essay1959 Words   |  8 Pagesdebate, with one camp of people including John R. Searle emphatically denying the plausibility of Artificial Intelligence. On the other side of the debate, individuals such as Paul and Patricia Churchland have declared that although a serial machine with a program might not be able to think, Artificial Intelligence might be feasible in parallel processing computers. In â€Å" Is the Brain’s Mind a Computer Program, â€Å" John R. Searle presents an interesting argument against strong artificial intelligence proponentsRead MoreSummary Of Minds, Brains And Programs 1763 Words   |  8 PagesIn â€Å"Minds, Brains And Programs.† John Searle responds to the question, â€Å"Could a machine think?† by stating that only a â€Å"machine could think† we as human produce thinking, therefore we are indeed thinking machines. However, he re jects the idea of digital computers having the ability to produce any thinking or intelligence. In this paper, I will summarize and analyze Searle’s claims with supporting examples from his famous ‘Chinese Room Argument’ relating it to Alan Turing’s example of artificial intelligenceRead MoreComputers Can Not Have Minds1490 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Turing Machine in order to prove, through the use of an imitation game, that computers can think. John Searle argued that the Turing Test is simply just imitating, rather than thinking. Based on Searle’s argument against the Turing Test, I think that computers cannot have minds. Although Turing argues that computers can think, there are many arguments, such as Searle’s Chinese room argument, and defenses that I will present that support Searle and his belief that computers do not understand the