Artificial IntelligenceCognitive Ability of Information Processing essays

Artificial IntelligenceCognitive Ability of Information Processing essays Artificial Intelligence: Cognitive Ability or Information Processing Computers have become an integral part of our everyday lives. We rely upon these machines to perform innumerable tasks that we often take for granted. Most people realize that computers are able to perform the multitude of functions as a consequence of the programming they receive. These programs give computers a set of instructions that governs their transition from one information processing state to another. Thus, computational machines are able to respond to a certain set of inputs with a certain range of outputs. In order to comprehend programs one needs only to describe these instructions in functional terms. In this regard, computer programs are extremely similar to functional accounts of the human mind, which contend that in order to understand the mind, one must simply examine the relationship between stimulus and behavior. Consequently, the question has naturally arisen as to whether a computer which consisted of a sufficiently sophisticated program would be capable of tho ught. This question has resulted in lively debate, with one camp of people including John R. Searle emphatically denying the plausibility of Artificial Intelligence. On the other side of the debate, individuals such as Paul and Patricia Churchland have declared that although a serial machine with a program might not be able to think, Artificial Intelligence might be feasible in parallel processing computers. In Is the Brains Mind a Computer Program, John R. Searle presents an interesting argument against strong artificial intelligence proponents. Believers of strong artificial intelligence contend that a computer that can pass the Turing test is displaying cognitive ability. The Turing test basically states that if a computer can function in such a way that an expert can not distinguish its performance from that of a human who has a certain cognitive ability, such a...

Abstruse vs. Obtuse

Abstruse vs. Obtuse Abstruse vs. Obtuse Abstruse vs. Obtuse By Maeve Maddox What’s the difference between abstruse and obtuse? Both are adjectives. Abstruse comes from a Latin word meaning â€Å"concealed, hidden, secret.† In English it means â€Å"difficult to understand.† Remarking on complaints about the apparent meaninglessness of literary prizes, Jennifer Szalai writes, Prizes are awarded to tepid, undemanding best sellers everyone reads; prizes are awarded to obscure, abstruse books no one reads. The NY Times publishes an annual list of â€Å"abstruse words.† The list is compiled from the number of times readers click on a word in order to see a linked definition. Some examples of these â€Å"abstruse† words: antediluvian, peroration, and shibboleth. Obtuse comes from a Latin word meaning â€Å"blunt, dull, stupid.† â€Å"Obtuse angles† in geometry are not stupid; they are blunt. An angle â€Å"greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees† is an obtuse angle. When botanists and zoologists say that something is obtuse, they mean that it is not sharp or pointed. For example, larch trees have cones that are about one inch long and obtuse at their points, i.e., blunt, not pointed, When applied to a person, obtuse means stupid, lacking in perception or understanding. In the movie The Shawshank Redemption, Andy uses the word in reference to the prison warden: Andy: How can you be so obtuse? Warden Norton: What? What did you call me? Andy: Obtuse. Is it deliberate? Sometimes people use obtuse when they mean abstruse. Here are some examples of misuse on a web page that seems to be offering them as examples of correct usage: They provide a very powerful, but also rather obtuse, set of tools for finding particular words or combinations of characters in strings. Obtuse language in such documents actually means? Obtuse lyrics and intricate symbolism. I suppose the writers of these examples could be calling the tools, language, and lyrics stupid, but I think it more likely that the powerful tools present a steep learning curve. If the language in the document leaves the person wondering about its meaning, then the language is difficult to understand. Finally, since the lyrics are being linked with symbolism, the word wanted is probably abstruse. An individual who is obtuse cannot understand. A book or explanation that is abstruse cannot be easily understood. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:40 Synonyms for â€Å"Different†How to Write a Proposal