Philosophy 1050-024 Spring 2008                                                                   NAME:

Introduction to Philosophy

Reading Questionnaire #10

Due: TUESDAY, April 15

A. M. Turing: "Computing Machinery and Intelligence"

Please answer each question in 2-4 sentences.

1. Writing in 1950, Turing predicted that "at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted."  Today, in 2008, do you think it is possible to describe some machines or computers as capable of thinking?  Why or why not? 

2. In sections 1 and 2 of the article, Turing suggests a test or "imitation game" for deciding whether a computer can actually think.  What is this "game" and how does it work as a test?