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Personal Response to John Searle's Essay "Do Computers Think?" The question of whether computers possess intelligence has gained its actuality after people became more and more dependent of them in their everyday lives. Computers ability to perform many tasks with much more efficiency than humans raised many ethical questions. John Searlies essay Do Computers Think? is a very fine example of philosophical attempt to address the issue using a logical approach, even though it serves as a tool of ethical irrationality. Basically, Searlies argument against computers possessing intelligence is based on the assumption that the ability to operate with information as a pattern is somehow inferior to the ability to do the same, when information is thought of as an idea.
He gives us his famous example of Chinese room to illustrate the essence of how computers operate. In the closed room with two openings (input and output), the person is asked to answer a question, written in Chinese, which is handed to him through the input. Without possessing a slightest knowledge of Chinese, the person is still going to be able to answer the question correctly, for as long as he is provided with necessary linguistic data, which can be analyzed by using a simple mathematical approach. In the end, author argues, such person will be able to give a correct answer, without understanding its essence.
In my opinion, author misses a few important facts. His assumption that the process of thinking has some divine properties that cannot be formulated in the form of function clearly derives from authors quasi-Christian worldview. The recent discoveries in the field of biology and genetics effectively prove the fact that human behavior is 90 % predetermined by individual mental properties, which in its turn, are predetermined by genes. So, the concept of paternalistic algorithm can be also applied, in order to explain the dynamics of human thinking. Therefore, we cannot think of the principles, upon human brain and computers operate as something diametrically opposite. It is basically a process of applying analogues for every particular situation and simultaneous learning.
After all, the processor and the brain have one very important thing in common the information is stored in both of them in the form of electrical impulses. Why do we assign the properties of conciseness to the brain but refuse to do the same, when we talk about computers, even if computers appear to be thousands times more efficient? Although, Searlies doesnt mention in his work words like morality or human uniqueness, the creationist tendencies are clearly present in Do Computers Think? This, of course, greatly diminishes the value of his work, since he appears to be focused on proving his personal convictions, instead of trying to find a greater truth. Computers might not think, according to our understanding of this word, but they are clearly able to perform mental tasks with a great precision, with our lives becoming more dependent on them. If we to assume that it was possible for the intelligent life to originate on Earth, because of lucky combination of non-organic molecules becoming organic, due to the strike of lightning, we also must assume that there are good chances for a totally different form of intelligence, to originate inside of the processor.
Searlies essay makes a few good points, but it can be described as retrograde, as a whole. The paradox of our times is that logical paradigms often fail to adequately address the complicated philosophical issues of nowadays. The Descartes thesis of mind and body existing separately is perfectly logical, yet it isnt true. Searlies thesis that computers cant think is also well grounded, yet its isnt true, because of empirical reality proves us otherwise. Ancient used to say: If it meows like a cat, has a tail and sharp claws its a cat.
If it looks like that computers do think, if they are responsible for functioning of our bank system and for making an air travel safe maybe they posses an intelligence, after all. After finishing this essay, Im going to play a computer game, with its characters acting as they truly believe that Im a God
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Research essay sample on Personal Response To John Searle Do Computers Think
