Can Machines Think?

A 2 min summary of the Turing Test and why it works

How can we ascertain that machines can think? In Computing Machinery and Intelligence , 20th-century Computer Scientist Alan Turing argues that The Imitation Game, a thought experiment, is sufficient to determine a machine’s thinking ability.

The Imitation Game is played by three players: a man (A), a woman (B) and an interrogator (C). A and B are in a different room from C, whose objective is to determine the gender of A and B by asking questions and getting answers via typed notes. A’s objective is to ensure C is unsuccessful while B’s is the opposite.

The game is comprehensive as asking varied questions allows testing forms thinking such as problem-solving and creative thinking. Since there is no physical interaction between the players, their thinking ability is the only variable. Therefore, if the probability of C losing remains the same when A is a machine and when A is a man, we can conclude that the machine can think. The thinking process for a man and machine may be different. Thus, it is naturally difficult for them to imitate each other. Since we replace the man with the machine in the game, the machine performs a difficult task. Thus, the odds are stacked against the machine, and if the game concludes that machines can think, we can be fairly certain.

But, which machines can be used? The Digital Computer (DC), a machine designed to perform any operation traditionally conducted by humans, is Turing’s specification. Structurally and functionally, the human mind and the DC are similar, which ensures that the game is fair even after the substitution of the man with the computer. Even if there are mathematical limitations of DCs, the imitation game is a valid “basis for discussion” (p. 11) as the limitations only increase the odds against the machine.

The game is also not affected by considerations of extrasensory perception, the ability to perceive via unconventional senses, as we could have “telepathy-proof” rooms (p. 17). Viva-voce, a version of the game without B, is used to test understanding in academia. Therefore, we can’t argue that the machine can’t think when it is able to imitate the mind.

In conclusion, the imitation game is a valid and sufficient method to ascertain a computer’s thinking ability. While it may only be a thought experiment, the Imitation Game can also become a reality in future with advances in engineering.