From the passage, it can be inferred that the author would agree with Searle on which of the following points?
Show Hint
- Computers operate by following algorithms.
- The human brain can never fully understand its own functions.
- The comparison of the brain to a machine is overly simplistic.
- The most accurate models of physical processes are computer simulations.
- Human thought and computer-simulated thought involve similar processes of representation.
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks for a point of agreement between the author and Searle. Even if the author is critical of Searle (as suggested in Q57), they must agree on the fundamental premises of the argument they are presenting. We are looking for the most basic, undisputed fact that forms the foundation of the discussion.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The entire debate about AI that Searle engages in starts from a shared understanding of what a computer is and does.
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{(A) That computers operate by following algorithms (i.e., they are syntactic engines) is the starting premise for the entire argument. Both proponents and opponents of strong AI agree on this fact; they disagree on whether this algorithmic operation is sufficient for thought. The author must accept this premise to even begin explaining Searle's argument.} \\ \bullet & \text{(B) This is a very strong philosophical claim about the limits of knowledge, which the passage may not address at all.} \\ \bullet & \text{(C) While Searle certainly believes this, and the author might too, option (A) is a more fundamental and certain point of agreement. The author might believe the comparison is useful, even if ultimately flawed.} \\ \bullet & \text{(D) The passage uses the digestion simulation to show the inadequacy of computer simulations as models for reality, not their accuracy.} \\ \bullet & \text{(E) This is the strong AI position that Searle and the author are arguing against.} \\ \end{array}\]
Step 3: Final Answer:
The most foundational and undeniable point of agreement between any two parties in this debate, including the author and Searle, is the definition of how computers function. They operate on algorithms. This makes (A) the correct answer.
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