Announcements
A review session is scheduled for Sat. March 15 at 12:00-1:30 in Bagley 261
Project 3b’s eSubmit is ready -- it’s due Friday

Can Computers Think?
Dijkstra: Whether a computer can think is about as interesting as whether a submarine can swim.

Thinking with Electricity
The inventors of ENIAC, 1st computer, said it “thinks with electricity”
Do calculators “think”?
Does performing arithmetic, which is entirely algorithmic, require thinking?
Once, performing arithmetic, was thought to be divinely or magically conferred

Thinking with Electricity
The inventors of ENIAC, 1st computer, said it “thinks with electricity”
Do calculators “think”?
Does performing arithmetic, which is entirely algorithmic, require thinking?
Once, performing arithmetic, was thought to be divinely or magically conferred

Turing’s Test
A.M. Turing, computer pioneer, worried about intelligence in humans & machines and proposed a test (1950)
Aware that it’s intelligence til it’s understood Turing devised this experimental setup:

What To Ask
Formulate questions a person can answer but a computer can’t or v.v.

Seeming To Be Intelligent
Joel Weizenbaum’s “Doctor” was an program that appeared intelligent
User: I’m depressed.
Doctor: Why are you depressed?
User: My mother is not speaking to me.
Doctor: Tell me about your mother.
User: She doesn’t want me to major in CS.
Doctor: No?
User: No, she wants me to go into medicine.

Artificial Intelligence
The study of making computers act intelligently
They already act intelligent … e.g. they can correct your spelling mistakes
Is this intelligent behavior?  Most AI researchers would say “no” … algorithmic
Playing grandmaster level chess in a tournament became an AI goal (1952)
- Minimizes real world knowledge
- Clear goal, formal system

Playing Chess
Chess is a game, so it uses a game tree
At each node is a ‘board’-- easily digitized
Below it are all boards created in 1 move

Deep Blue vs Kasparov
An IBM system, Deep Blue, played world champion Gary Kasparov
In 1996 Kasparov won, but Deep Blue played 1 game well!!!
In May 11, 1997 Deep Blue won 3.5-2.5

Intelligent?
Does Deep Blue’s performance show that a computer can be intelligent?
No -- it repeat’s its designers intelligence
Yes -- it’s better than anyone in the world at something people find interesting and fun
Maybe -- it shows intelligence in chess, but can it apply its intelligence elsewhere?

Being Creative
Computers can do things deemed creative in the past
Create designs in the style of Piet Mondrian
Composing Bach: EPI, Bach, Professor

Being Creative
Computers can do things deemed creative in the past
Create designs in the style of Piet Mondrian
Composing Bach: EPI, Bach, Professor
Audience Thought: Bach Prof   EPI

Definition of Creativity
Creativity has two forms: “flash out of the blue” and “incremental revision”
“Flash,” i.e. inspiration, is rare; is it just luck?
“Revision”, i.e. hard work, is common and to a large degree algorithmic

Computers Can’t Debug
There are some things computers cannot do … and we can prove it!
No computer program can tell, give another program P, if P loops forever … halting prob
If possible, it would be handy for debugging
In fact, it seems possible … look closely at the program, check the for-statements (and other looping structures we didn’t learn)
Suppose Loop_Check (P, Q) tests pgm P on input Q, answering “yes/no” to loops forever

Loop_Check Cannot Be
Loop_Check could not work, because if it did we’d make a new program

Intelligence & Creativity
The bottom line on the “intellectual skills” of computers …
It has long been an interesting question
Computers are amazing, but probably not intelligent
When a task becomes algorithmic computers (and humans) can do it well

Student Evaluations
I give out forms, then leave … you will
Bubble-in (Excellent :) responses on white form
Write helpful advice for FIT100 on yellow form
Return your forms (and extras) to _____________