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Article 3964 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: petersow@saifr00.cfsat.honeywell.com (Wayne Peterson)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.tech
Subject: Re: Robotic Follies
Message-ID: <1992Feb24.165141.11719@saifr00.cfsat.honeywell.com>
Date: 24 Feb 92 16:51:41 GMT
References: <1992Feb21.131053.100@cs.ucf.edu> <1992Feb21.192207.9035@husc3.harvard.edu> <1992Feb23.224458.16711@ida.liu.se>
Organization: Honeywell Air Transport Systems Division
Lines: 40

MZ = Mikhail Zeleny
PG = Pontus Gagge
WP = Wayne Peterson


MZ:

>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."

PG:

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? :-)
--
WP:

But as luck would have it 24 years have gone by and the Shah is 
alive, the ass is alive and Nasruddin's neck is getting sore. He
starts training the ass by requiring it to say a word before
getting fed. After 11 months and 29 days the ass finally tells
Nasrudin that he will speak to the Shah only if Nasruddin will
obey his wishes the rest of his life.
Today the Shah is poorer but wiser slave to the ass, realizing
that maybe getting an ass to speak is not such a great thing.

Wayne Peterson
Speaking through my ass.


