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The original question, 'Can machines think?' I believe to be too meaningless to deserve discussion.

Alan Turing

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Alan Turing
Age: 41 †
Born: 1912
Born: June 23
Died: 1954
Died: June 7
Artificial Intelligence Researcher
Computer Scientist
Cryptographer
Logician
Marathon Runner
Mathematician
Statistician
University Teacher
Warrington Lodge Medical and Surgery Home for Ladies
Alan M. Turing
Alan Mathieson Turing
Turing
Alan Mathison Turing
Thinking
Discussion
Originals
Original
Machines
Deserve
Question
Believe
Think
Meaningless

More quotes by Alan Turing

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I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted.
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Programming is a skill best acquired by practice and example rather than from books.
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Instead of trying to produce a programme to simulate the adult mind, why not rather try to produce one which simulates the child's? If this were then subjected to an appropriate course of education one would obtain the adult brain.
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We are not interested in the fact that the brain has the consistency of cold porridge.
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One day ladies will take their computers for walks in the park and tell each other, My little computer said such a funny thing this morning.
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A man provided with paper, pencil, and rubber, and subject to strict discipline, is in effect a universal machine.
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Instruction tables will have to be made up by mathematicians with computing experience and perhaps a certain puzzle-solving ability. There need be no real danger of it ever becoming a drudge, for any processes that are quite mechanical may be turned over to the machine itself.
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Mathematical reasoning may be regarded.
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Machines take me by surprise with great frequency.
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We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.
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My little computer said such a funny thing this morning.
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It seems probable that once the machine thinking method had started, it would not take long to outstrip our feeble powers… They would be able to converse with each other to sharpen their wits. At some stage therefore, we should have to expect the machines to take control.
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If a machine is expected to be infallible, it cannot also be intelligent.
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No, I'm not interested in developing a powerful brain.
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No, I'm not interested in developing a powerful brain. All I'm after is just a mediocre brain, something like the President of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.
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I'm afraid that the following syllogism may be used by some in the future. Turing believes machines think Turing lies with men Therefore machines do not think Yours in distress, Alan
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A very large part of space-time must be investigated, if reliable results are to be obtained.
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Do you know why people like violence? It is because it feels good. Humans find violence deeply satisfying. But remove the satisfaction, and the act becomes hollow.
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In attempting to construct such (artificially intelligent) machines we should not be irreverently usurping His (God's) power of creating souls, any more than we are in the procreation of children,” Turing had advised. “Rather we are, in either case, instruments of His will providing mansions for the souls that He creates.
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Up to a point, it is better to just let the snags [bugs] be there than to spend such time in design that there are none.
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