I would hate to have to demonstrate that a modern computer is an instance of a Turing Machine. Among other things they usually have multiple processors as well as memory hierarchies. But I suppose it could be done, theoretically.
----------------------------------- Frank Wimberly My memoir: https://www.amazon.com/author/frankwimberly My scientific publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Frank_Wimberly2 Phone (505) 670-9918 On Sat, Apr 27, 2019, 9:43 AM Nick Thompson <nickthomp...@earthlink.net> wrote: > Frank, > > > > Well, that’s a little blunter than I feel comfortable with because it > identifies “answering questions” with consciousness. I like better, > “Imagine a computer, however complicated you care to make it, however > skilled in its execution of human behaviors in human contexts, can such a > computer be conscious?” I would assume from past conversations with you, > you would say, “No.” > > > > By the way: Am I using the language correctly if I say that a computer is > an “instantiation” of a Turing Machine? > > > > Nick > > > > Nicholas S. Thompson > > Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology > > Clark University > > http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/ > > > > *From:* Friam [mailto:friam-boun...@redfish.com] *On Behalf Of *Frank > Wimberly > *Sent:* Saturday, April 27, 2019 7:33 AM > *To:* The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group < > friam@redfish.com> > *Subject:* Re: [FRIAM] A question for tomorrow > > > > I will channel Nick based on our conversation yesterday. "A computer is a > Turing machine and it can answer questions."* I apologize, Nick, if that's > not your position. > > > > *Alexa, Siri, Hey Google > > ----------------------------------- > Frank Wimberly > > My memoir: > https://www.amazon.com/author/frankwimberly > > My scientific publications: > https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Frank_Wimberly2 > > Phone (505) 670-9918 > > > > On Sat, Apr 27, 2019, 7:22 AM <lrudo...@meganet.net> wrote: > > Maybe I've missed it, but has no one pointed out that a "Turing Machine" > is a mathematical formalism? I may be a stick in the mud, but I refuse to > extend the definition of "know" so far as to make "A Turing Machine knows > [something]" a meaningful statement. You might as well ask what a Goedel > Enumeration knows, or what The Classification of Finite Simple Groups > knows. Hell, what does the integer 1 know??? > > Now maybe in you-alls' circles, "Turing Machine" is used to refer to some > kinds of physical implementations of particular Turing Machines. But > that's a pernicious identification that can only lead to tears. > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > archives back to 2003: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > archives back to 2003: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove >
============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com archives back to 2003: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove
