Sponsored by the Bhaktivedanta Institute*
Speakers:
Robert E. Horn, Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of Language and
Information, Stanford
Russell McBride, Instructor in Philosophy, Alameda College
Abstract: One of the great debates of the last 50 years has been over
the question Turing asked in his 1950 paper in Mind: Will computers ever
be able to think? Recently, eminent computer scientist Ray Kurzweil has speculated
in his book, The Age of Spiritual Machines, that computers would surpass
human intelligence by 2050, that they would become conscious, and, hence even,
"spiritual." "Once a computer achieves a human level of intelligence, it will
necessarily roar past it," he says. The debate is important because it focuses
on the fundamental question of human identity. And, as a result of these advances
in computer intelligence, says Kurzweil: "The primary political and philosophical
issue of the next century will be the definition of who we are." Where does
that debate stand now? What does the history of that debate say about these
claims? What are the criteria throughout the debate for what counts as a thinking
computer? These are questions the presentation will address.
Horn and McBride have just finished developing the Mapping Great Debates: Can Computers Think? series of argumentation maps. These seven (3 x 4 foot) maps trace over 800 arguments, rebuttals, and counterrebuttals in the Turing debate by over 400 scholars worldwide. One of the seven maps is devoted to the question: Do Machines have to be Conscious in Order to Think? They have recently started another argumentation mapping project in the area of consciousness studies under one of the University of Arizona grants. Horn and McBride will reflect on the these issues from the perspective of their mapping project and identify the hot spots in the forthcoming debate.
References:
1. Horn, R.; Yoshimi, J.; McBride, R.; Deering, M. Mapping Great Debates:
Can Computers Think? Seven maps and handbook, Bainbridge, Washington,
Macro VU Inc., 1998. <www.macrovu.com>
Friday, May 14, 1999
Room 300, Health Sciences West, University of California, San Francisco *
7:30 pm – 8:00 pm Social; 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Lecture
and Discussion
Registration: If you are attending for the first
time, please pre-register by calling K. P. Rajan, Ph.D. at (510) 841-7618, or
Jean Burns, Ph.D., at (510) 481-7507 (e-mail: biberkeley@bvinst.edu).
Directions: The closest parking is the UCSF public
garage at 500 Parnassus Avenue ($1.75/hr). You may be able to find some free
street parking within a few blocks of the campus. We post directions to reach
Health Sciences West building in the lobby of the Medical Sciences building
(513 Parnassus), across the street from the UCSF garage.
* The Bhaktivedanta Institute and UCSF are not affiliated. The use of meeting rooms at the University of California, San Francisco, by non-profit organizations does not imply that the University endorses this organization or the material being presented.