I think Turing was on the right track with his test determine computer
intelligence, but I do not know if that makes it the “right approach”.
There are many different definitions of intelligence depending on
what dictionary or source you use. For the sake of this psychology
class, I stuck to our Shapiro Library and looked for a more
psychological approach. The schools research starter on the topic
states “Intelligence is a hypothetical concept, rather than a tangible
entity, that is used by psychologists and other scientists to explain
differences in the quality and adaptive value of the behavior of
humans and, to some extent, animals. Its meaning and the theoretical
models used to explore it are as varied as the field of psychology
itself” (Urbina & Dillon, 2021). This statement makes it feel like
intelligence is to be thought of something reserved to humans and
does not apply to technology at all. Just because computers can
intake and store information does not necessarily make them
intelligent. As we saw in the video, many bots when faced with a new
concept or one they were not programmed to know, they failed to
“pass” the test. The very thought that someone else must decide and
code a computer for what it should know in the first place I think is
very important to the question at hand. We as humans can learn
anything we wish to. Computers have to be programmed and told
what information to it can and should hold.
Human thinking and machine computing are similar in function of
memory by how information is stored. Both humans and computers
have “databases” that retain and store information. In humans it is
obviously more complex as this information is more than just data,
but memories, emotions, and information associated with the 5
senses such as touch, taste, and smell. We also should take into
account that computers are not conscious. What they “know” they
know and can access any of that information when told to or given
the opportunity. We as humans are conscious. Even further than that
we have an unconscious mind with even more information stored in it
that we can’t necessarily access at will.
I do think it’s possible for computers to think or be as “smart” as some
humans. Naturally the intelligence levels vary greatly among humans
and not everyone is as gifted when it comes to smarts or intelligence.
Many computers I am sure can know literally everything I know or
more in a factual sense. But I will still know a million more things that
a computer ever can such as what love feels like. What grief, joy, and
physical pain feel like. Again, as mentioned in the video we watched
for this discussion, its mentioned that we humans often proclaim
things to be intelligent that in fact are not. Are technology/computers
just another thing in that category that were giving the grace of
intelligence to that does not warrant it.
Artificial intelligence could have quite a bit to do with ethics. As
technology advances and it creeps into even more aspects of our
lives, there comes a point when individuals, companies, corporations,
scientists, and many more will have to wager whether the use of the
AI is ethical or not.
Resources
Urbina, S. P., & Dillon, R. F. (2021). Intelligence.
Salem Press
Encyclopedia of Health
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