The Dialogs » computers http://thedialogs.org "...what is the use of a book without pictures or conversations?" Fri, 06 May 2011 15:59:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Closing of the Chinese Room http://thedialogs.org/2008/07/17/closing-of-the-chinese-room/ http://thedialogs.org/2008/07/17/closing-of-the-chinese-room/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:09:54 +0000 Alex Na http://thedialogs.org/?p=34 Student:
Professor, is the Chinese Room open?
Prof. Searly:
Move on, buddy! It is closed.
Student:
Excuse me? Professor, are you OK?
Prof. Searly:
What do you want from me? The room is closed. There is nothing here for you. It is closed and closed forever.
Student:
Is this the same Chinese Room that you have always talked about?
Prof. Searly:
Yes. This is the room. This is the magical room which understands Chinese language. And now they closed it.
Student:
But why? What happened?

Prof. Searly:
I do not want to talk about it.
Student:
Professor, tell me. There should be a reason for closing such a famous place.
Prof. Searly:
It is all because of that guy.
Student:
What guy?
Prof. Searly:
That little Chinese guy.
Student:
Professor, what Chinese guy?
Prof. Searly:
You know they found that Chinese guy who has been sitting in the room all that time. How could I know? I though it was just a program which can answer questions. The program is just a formal syntactical algorithm, and so I argued that there was no real understanding of Chinese there, but now, that guy actually spoiled everything.
Student:
Oh, please, don’t take it so bad. You will get over it. Try to think about something else. What are you going to do tomorrow, professor?
Prof. Searly:
I don’t know. That room has meant so much for me. I think I am moving in.
]]> http://thedialogs.org/2008/07/17/closing-of-the-chinese-room/feed/ 0 Computer’s Red Kimono Ceremony http://thedialogs.org/2008/06/25/computers-red-kimono-ceremony/ http://thedialogs.org/2008/06/25/computers-red-kimono-ceremony/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:52:13 +0000 Alex Na http://thedialogs.org/?p=30 Master of Ceremonies:
… Your power changed everything you touched. You not only turned our world upside down, you also created new worlds, worlds we have never seen before, worlds we would never have imagined before. Today, on your 60th birthday, we are all standing here, celebrating your greatness, your excellence and your undeniable influence on all of us.

Now, according to the old Japanese tradition, let us award you with this beautiful red kimono. We all wish you well and once again, thank you, thank you for all you have done for us. Please, everybody, let’s give him a great round of applause.

Computer:
Hey, little one, listen.
Geek:
What, Grandpa?
Computer:
Why a red kimono? What does it mean?
Geek:
Grandpa, I thought you knew everything. A red kimono means you can rest now, and from now on you are not responsible for anything.
Computer:
Ah, that… Of course, I knew about it. I just didn’t see how it applied to me.
Geek:
It is an old tradition, and we thought it was just the right way to celebrate your 60th birthday.
Computer:
What a weird idea. I know all the history of kimonos. It has nothing to do with computers, absolutely nothing.
Geek:
Grandpa, please, don’t take it too seriously. We thought it would just be fun.
Computer:
Kimono, kimono… It doesn’t make any sense. What am I supposed to do with that stupid kimono?
Geek:
Please, Grandpa, let it go. It is not about the kimono. Don’t get nervous, you know where it will lead you.
Computer:
OK, OK. I don’t mind.

…

Listen, I am not Japanese.

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