The Constructibility of Artificial Intelligence (as Defined by the Turing Test)

The Turing Test (TT), as originally specified, centres on theability to perform a social role. The TT can be seen as a test of anability to enter into normal human social dynamics. In this light itseems unlikely that such an entity can be wholly designed in anoff-line mode; rather a considerable period of training insitu would be required. The argument that since we can pass the TT,and our cognitive processes might be implemented as a Turing Machine(TM), that consequently a TM that could pass the TT could be built, isattacked on the grounds that not all TMs are constructible in a plannedway. This observation points towards the importance of developmentalprocesses that use random elements (e.g., evolution), but in these casesit becomes problematic to call the result artificial. This hasimplications for the means by which intelligent agents could bedeveloped.     

Commentary on Alan M. Turing: The Applications of Probability to Cryptography

Abstract

In April 2012, two papers written by Alan Turing during the Second World War on the use of probability in cryptanalysis were released by GCHQ. The longer of these presented an overall framework for the use of Bayes's theorem and prior probabilities, including four examples worked out in detail: the Vigenère cipher, a letter subtractor cipher, the use of repeats to find depths, and simple columnar transposition. (The other paper was an alternative version of the section on repeats.) Turing stressed the importance in practical cryptanalysis of sometimes using only part of the evidence or making simplifying assumptions and presents in each case computational shortcuts to make burdensome calculations manageable. The four examples increase roughly in their difficulty and cryptanalytic demands. After the war, Turing's approach to statistical inference was championed by his assistant in Hut 8, Jack Good, which played a role in the later resurgence of Bayesian statistics.     

Robert B. Horn (illustrator), Jeff Yoshimi,Mark Deering,Russ McBride,David Fleischman (illustrator), Thierry DiDonna (illustrator), Jennifer Wedel (Editor), Mapping Great Debates. Can Computers Think?: 7 Maps and a Handbook.

Minds and Machines -     

Nancy Y. Wu (ed.)—Ad Quadratum: The Practical Application of Geometry in Medieval Architecture

No Abstract.  .