Art, I'd like to have a bit more hope than that.
While I can see your point about the chess computer, you mentioned the word "think" in that you believe machines can not "think".
According to Mirriam-Webster Online Dictionary (
www.m-w.com), the word "think" is defined as the following (let's use this for this particular discussion as it seems to fit out of the others available)
intransitive verb
1 a : to exercise the powers of judgment, conception, or inference : REASON b : to have in the mind or call to mind a thought
Reminds me of perhaps the process of a program sending data to the memory banks vs. a human brain's neuron firing.
While we may "think" as in look at the information we take in and come to a decision on the information, then act on it... a computer can be said to do the same. The information being the input. The decision making process being the set of if/then statements and algorythms it uses to deduce the best course to act upon.
We sometimes work the same way: if something is one way then from our experience (algorythms, or pre-programmed due to laws, beliefs, upbringing) something is true.
Maybe we should examine this from your chess computer example.
A chess computer as you have said, follows a program. What is in the program is a series of instructions, yes. But what KIND of instructions is the interesting part. If/then statements. Chess computers typically will take a look at the positions of your pieces and try to deduce what moves are available to you. Then it will determine what will happen if you make any of those possible moves. IF/Then statements come into play:
1. Look at oponent pieces on matrix and store positions in memory along with the possible squares they may occupy on next move.
2. Look at computer pieces. Look up the pieces in the matrix (or array) to see if any of those pieces may be occupied by the opponent pieces on the next move.
3. If a piece is in danger, determine possible moves to move piece out of the way.
At this point, depending on the skill level of the computer you selected prior to playing the game (if this option is available), the computer may even do what is known as "look-ahead" by so many "steps". What this does, is then it will do the following to see if it's next move would be in danger. Maybe it will rate or flag each move in priority as most dangerous to least dangerous. When it's done the whole routine of looking ahead, etc. it will then look at the flagged moves and the one that was flagged as most dangerous will then be done so that it can save itself. It may even store the look-ahead moves that it anticipated you make. Most sophisticated programs will even look this up based on the "patterns" of your own moves it may have stored in it's database, to also use as a determination (via algorythms) on what moves you are most likely to make, so as to fine-tune which moves to flag as possibly dangerous.
So in essense, the computer really can be said to be doing a form of "thinking" or deduction. Sure, it's statements. But it's much more sophisticated (depending on the program, of course) than "If the player moves, pick a piece and move it according to these instructions for that piece) until the game ends. Some chess programs are this simple, and after awhile, can be easily beaten. But the more sophisticated ones do have a form of fuzzie logic programming and algorythms that go a little bit beyond simple following of instructions. Sure there are rules to follow as to what pieces can move in what ways. We also have to follow those rules to play the game properly.
Now on the human side of the equation: When a human plays chess, the human will basically visualize in their mind how the game will play out if they make certain moves. Breaking it down, the process is much the same way as what the computer does.
Sure it follows a set of rules. But while you are playing the game with the computer, are you "thinking"? You're following the same rules, and basically doing what the computer is doing. Trying to determine what your opponent is going to do and trying to avert any way possible that may lead you to lose the game. So, how is this "thinking" for a human but not for a computer if both are essentially following the same rules at the time of the game?
Sure a human can walk away and do something else, which the computer can't do. As it was designed to just play a game of Chess. But, if someone came up to you and said "Let's play a hand or two of Texas Hold'em" and you never played the game before, and don't know how to play, for example, you won't be able to "think" to play it unless your friend "programs" (ie. teaches you how) to play the game!
The one thing to keep in mind is that a machine is not human. A machine can not work the same way a human can. However, in the scheme of things, neither is a dog or a cat a human, and their way of thinking is far different from humans as well. (Cats like to think they have the better brain but we'll not talk about this right now
)
We often believe a cat or dog can think. But, can a cat or dog play chess?
Just some more ideas.
I believe computers can think. Yes. But maybe what some of us are looking for is a more generalized form of "thinking" in that not for one specific function, but for mult-functions or do a variety of things, like an AI is supposedly supposed to be able to do. To emulate human thought.
Still, if we aren't taught (programmed) how to do something, how do we learn it without being taught? No matter if someone shows us, tells us, or we read a book or look it up on the internet, or even just watching others do the task. We are 'learning', thus being programmed to follow a set form of rules or instructions to get to the end result.
It's like the old saying that man is an organic computer. It just may be true.
How we think may not be the same as how another entity thinks.
I bet if you reprogrammed the chess computer to play cards, it would be able to do it. But of course you'd have to change the hardware, etc. obviously.
Same as if you want to teach someone how to scuba dive. You have to give them the diving gear.
