From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!uunet!psinntp!scylla!daryl Thu Jan 16 17:21:58 EST 1992
Article 2741 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
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>From: daryl@oracorp.com
Subject: Re: Cargo Cult Science
Message-ID: <1992Jan15.143337.3403@oracorp.com>
Organization: ORA Corporation
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1992 14:33:37 GMT

Stanley Friesen writes:

> In short I (and others) are operating on the basis of the theorem:
>
>	If a system can undertake arbitrary conversations in a given
>	language then it understands that language.

ARRRGGGG! That is not a theorem! At best it is a working definition,
or a working hypothesis. Jeff Dalton is right, that there is no basis
for such strong claims. In order for it to be a theorem, it must be
derivable from the definition of "understand", and we have no
non-fuzzy definition.

Daryl McCullough
ORA Corp.
Ithaca, NY


