Can
Computers Think?
P1: A
computer can pass the Turing Test.
P2: Passing
the Turing Test is sufficient for thinking.
2a: Passing
the Turing Test is sufficient for being behaviorally indistinguishable from a
typical human.
2b: Being
behaviorally indistinguishable from a typical human is sufficient for thinking.
C: Computers
can think.
P1: Thinking
requires understanding.
P2:
Computers can merely manipulate symbols.
P3: Symbol
manipulation is not sufficient for thinking.
3a: The
Chinese Room can manipulate symbols and mimic the behavior of a Chinese
speaker.
3b: The Chinese Room does not understand Chinese.
C:
Computers cannot think.
P1: Henry is
like Harry in all relevant respects.
P2: Harry
can think.
C1: So Henry
can think.
P3: Henry is
like a computer in all relevant respects.
C2: So
computers can think.