Friday, August 19, 2011

Should Kids Be Taught to Think Like Computers?

The armchair is thinking to itself... Where? In one of its parts? Or outside of its body in the air around it? Perhaps not anywhere? But what is then the difference between the internal speech of this armchair and that of another standing by it? -- Wittgenstein
Might children just as well be taught to think like armchairs? Or cuckoo clocks? Or tigers?

These might be interesting questions to try to answer provided we knew better what it is kids do when they think. We pretty well know what happens when computers process information. But is this thinking? Or just wishful thinking by Artificial Intelligence buffs?

What is it to “think”? Does the attempt to explain Mind as Machine inform or enlighten us?

To examine these issues further, see "Thinking" Like Computers Do

Cordially --- EGR

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