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Article 3957 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: c89ponga@odalix.ida.liu.se (Pontus Gagge)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.tech
Subject: Re: Robotic Follies
Message-ID: <1992Feb23.224458.16711@ida.liu.se>
Date: 23 Feb 92 22:44:58 GMT
References: <1992Feb20.140749.9003@husc3.harvard.edu> <1992Feb21.131053.100@cs.ucf.edu> <1992Feb21.192207.9035@husc3.harvard.edu>
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zeleny@boucher.harvard.edu (Mikhail Zeleny) writes:

>There once was a Shah who developed a special fondness for his ass, and
>expressed a desire that the animal be taught human speech.  Nasruddin came
>forth, declaring that he could do the job in twenty-five years, for 25
>thousand gold pieces.  The shah agreed, and Nasruddin led away the ass
>loaded with a fortune in gold.  Upon hearing about the bargain, Nasruddin's
>friends came to his house, expressing great concern.  "Surely, -- they
>said, -- you will fail to teach the ass to speak, and spend the gold, and
>then the Shah will order his royal executioner to cut off your head."
>"Don't worry, -- replied Nasruddin, -- in twenty-five years the Shah will
>die, or the ass will die, or I myself will die."

The version I know adds the vital:
"And who knows; maybe the ass *will* learn to speak"
Adds a certain something to the story, nicht wahr?

Anyway, what shall we term this latest anti-Minsky article by Mr. Zeleny?
Proof by entertaining allegory? :-)
--
/-------------------------+-------- DISCLAIMER ---------\
| Pontus Gagge            | The views expressed herein  |
| University of Link|ping | are compromises between my  |
|                         | mental subpersonae, and may |
| c89ponga@und.ida.liu.se | be held by none of them.    |
\-------------------------+-----------------------------/


