Development of sentient and non-sentient artificial intelligence

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Development of Sentient and Non-Sentient Artificial Intelligence
Scientists have put much effort into Artificial Intelligence to produce computer programs that perform better than the most talented human being. Most of these programs have defeated world-class players in the games they play best such as chess. Activities such as chess should require both intelligence and understanding. The developments, therefore, lead to the question of whether the ability for the computer program to defeat the world-class players and converse in native languages proves that computers are intelligent. Searle holds differing opinions concerning the ability of computers to have a fully formed conscious stating that it includes a phenomenal state of awareness that cannot be manipulated. The argument of an artificial machine being able to have a conscience has been an important topic of discussion over the years as different computer theorists formulate arguments that contradict Searle’s claims. Searle has some compelling argument regarding the matter. I strongly believe that Searle provides a fully structured argument and evidence to support his claims and therefore, computers are unable to be conscious.
Searle’s Argument
Searle agrees with the scientific definition of weak AI because it is regarded as a tool that enables us to test and formulate a hypothesis in a manner that is much more precise and rigorous (Searle 417). On the other hand, Searle does not hold similar opinions concerning strong AI because it is not only portrayed as a useful tool in the study of the mind, but it is the mind. The mind means that computers can have different cognitive states such as understanding. Searle explains that the conscience is the primary and most significant feature of our mind (Searle 40). He argues that consciousness is not an entity, but rather ‘states.’ In all its forms, the most important features of consciousness are its subjective, qualitative and inner nature (Searle 41). Consciousness is inner because any one of our conscious states exists only as an element in a sequence of the states. Conscious states also have qualitative characters since they each feel a certain way. More so, the fact that both human and animal subjects always experience conscious states proves that the conscious state is subjective (Searle 42). According to Searle, it is impossible for artificial machines to have all three of these states and most importantly, the states cannot be manipulated. The Chinese Room Argument also provides further claims from Searle concerning consciousness. Although the main argument involves imagined human simulation of a computer, claims regarding the mind and body can be closely linked to his disapproval on strong AI. In the Chinese Room Argument, the human in the Chinese Room manipulates Chinese symbols using the instructions presented in English, whereby the machine fetches instructions from a program presented in computing language. By following the instructions written in English to manipulate the Chinese symbols, a human being forms the idea of comprehending Chinese. However, since the computer’s actions are based on instructions from the human, it would be difficult to determine whether the computer genuinely understands Chinese. The description of the computer being able to understand native languages and have other mental capabilities forms the view of strong AI. Searle explains that computer programs are syntactical and that the operations performed by artificial machines are formal in that instead of responding to the meaning of the Chinese symbols, they only respond to physical forms of strings of the symbols. However, the mind has different states that each have meaning and mental content or semantics. These meanings are associated with words and signs in a language. Humans, therefore answer back to signs and language due to the significance that these signs hold in our minds, rather than their physical appearance. The aspect is to say that humans understand the sings and languages as compared to machines, and the understanding is based on our consciousness.
Judging by Searle’s argument, the case of the Chinese Room shows that syntax alone cannot lead to semantics. An example would be in formal logic systems whereby, the rules are presented for syntax. However, the entire procedure lacks semantics. The rules presented are formal and are used in strings of symbols in virtue of their syntax. However, in case the scientists want to provide the semantics, they have to do so separately. If the symbols are presented by themselves, they hold no meaning, and they are therefore not enough for mental contents.
Searle also highlights the issue of consciousness with regards to the mind and the body. In Searle’s view concerning the mind and body, “Conscious states are caused by lower level neurobiological processes in the brain and are themselves higher level features of the brain” (Searle 9). The statement means that the brain’s state is responsible for causing consciousness and understanding. Both of these are human features which show that Searle accepts a metaphysics that proves a person’s conscious self is identical to their brain. The metaphysics can also be viewed in the Chinese Room argument which presents claims that a computer program that has been appropriately programmed is a mind. An important aspect to note is that computers are physical objects with variable weights. Humans also have different weights, but that does not determine the size of their brains. Mass suggests that neither humans nor machines represent the mind. Instead, the mind is abstract. The explanation contradicts the claims that strong AI computers are a literal representation of the mind, and that artificial machines can have consciousness and understanding.
Computational Models of Consciousness
The Computational Theory of the Mind
Various advancements in computing have led to the view that the mind acts as a computational system. The observation has led to the computational theory of the mind which has been supported by various computational intelligence theorists who claim that it can be applied to several mental processes. The computational theory bases its argument on the Turing machines developed by Turing, which are regarded as an abstract model of a computing device which i...