10 Matching Annotations
  1. Sep 2020
    1. The claim that a machine cannot be the subject of its own thought canof course only be answered if it can be shown that the machine hassomethought withsomesubject matter.

      I'm assuming Turing will get further into what "subject matter" he is referring to here. Probably just like solving equations or algorithms.

    2. The idea of a learning machine may appear paradoxical to some readers. Howcan the rules of operation of the machine change?

      Turing once again brings up a good point here. If a learning machine is a learning machine then how can it teach itself and develop changes?

    3. Instead of trying to produce a programme to simulate the adult mind, why notrather try to produce one which simulates the child’s? If this were then subjectedto an appropriate course of education one would obtain the adult brain.

      Turing makes a good point here. Humans develop as we grow up in age so we could get to know ourselves better if we look into our childhood's more. this approach to his question might be a good perspective to consider.

    4. For instance, the number for the machine now working atManchester is about 2165,000,i.e. about 1050,000. Compare this with our exampleof the clicking wheel described above, which had three states.

      Those are crazy numbers comparatively. The storage space must be so much better on the Manchester one as well.

    5. The speed which would have been available would be deW-nitely faster than a human computer but something like 100 times slower thanthe Manchester machine, itself one of the slower of the modern machines. Thestorage was to be purely mechanical, using wheels and cards.

      Doesn't seem too appealing to me. Great idea but very messy and inefficient. It's important to note that although certain models of computers might have not been perfect at the time, many ideas and aspects of different computers were extracted to build off of newer ones

    6. The idea behind digital computers may be explained by saying that thesemachines are intended to carry out any operations which could be done by ahuman computer.

      This is ture. Digital computers, especially in this time, were mean to most mimic human behavior so analyzing the digital computers would be the best way to determine their thoughts and compare it to us.

    7. We are the more ready to do so in view of thefact that the present interest in ‘thinking machines’ has been aroused by aparticular kind of machine, usually called an ‘electronic computer’ or ‘digitalcomputer’. Following this suggestion we only permit digital computers to takepart in our game.

      By narrowing the field of machines being examined, Turing is taking a more specific look at how digital machines examine the imitation game among other metrics.

    8. the best strategy is to try to provide answers thatwould naturally be given by a man.

      If attempting to answer his question, yes, It is very important that answers are to as similar to humans as possible. Humans #1 advantage in development was our abilkity to think logically, so compouters must do so as well to prove or disprove his point.

    9. I propose to consider the question, ‘Can machines think?’

      Right off the bat, Turing is setting up the question that his paper will answer (although he rewords it with the Imitation game shortly after). I like this method of explanation becasue we immediatley know what we are in for and can follow along more easily by Turing addressing it right there and then.