"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:43:56 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc
wrote:

Back to computers: Read up on "the Turing Test" for some fresh
insights:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test

As you can see, this discussion has been going on for a long time. I
would postulate that Kasparov's automated opponent has already passed
the test within its limited realm. At some point, and it may have
already started, computers will be expertly programmed to simulate
feelings, emotion and creative thought. When the simulations become
so well done that world class experts can't tell the difference, what
do you have then?

Simulating human behavior is far from possessing human characteristics.

Agreed but the point of the Turing test is that if the simulation is
so well done that an expert can not reliably tell the difference, then
intelligence exists.

That was what they believed at the time. I don't think anyone seriously
buys that anymore and no significant efforts in the ai world today are
trying to pass the turing test. The turing test is a pretty old definition
of intelligence. And it all depends on your definition of intelligence.
The original topic was skynet, the fictional suggestion that once a certain
level of computation capability is passed the machine becomes self aware and
decides to destroy mankind Is self awareness a quality of intelligence?
What exactly is self awareness? Does a program that could pass the turing
test also self aware? Is your pet intelligent but just not as intelligent
as us?