Thoughts about the Turing test

 

Random thought of the day:

I was thinking about the Turing test while driving back to Round Rock from Denton today … perhaps due to the mind numbing news about the massacre in Uvalde. The Turing test was devised by Alan Turing in 1950 as a way to determine if a computer program could be deemed to  be intelligent – see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test. Joseph Weizenbaum at MIT created a program called Eliza in 1964 that was designed to imitate a Rogerian psychologist. Weizenbaum claimed that if an observer could not distinguish Eliza from an actual human psychologist then one would have to say that Eliza exhibited intelligent behavior. Weizenbaum’s ulterior motive might have been to show that communications between a human and a machine were somewhat superficial – see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELIZA/ .

In any case, while many argued that Eliza was not sufficient to pass Turing’s test, being an arrogant young researcher at the Air Force Research Laboratory in San Antonio, I thought I could do better. I was responsible for a group led by Dave Merrill in the latter part of the 1980s that had created a program that could generate an effective aircraft maintenance lesson using existing databases in a matter of minutes and I had a lesson created by a human for a similar task. Could folks identify the one created by the program when shown both? Unfortunately, our example failed the Turing test because our program used line art available in the available databases whereas the human designed lesson used much more appealing graphic art to support the lesson which involved removing the radar from an F-16 as best I can recall. The fact that our program took only minutes to generate and was based on the latest model of the F-16 was irrelevant in that failed attempt to pass the Turing test.

Now I am thinking that there should be an alternative to the Turing test. Rather than try to compare a human-generated example from a machine-generated example for a representative task, it makes more sense to me some 36 years later to identify things a typical human can do that the best machine program cannot do. Granted, computers can beat me at chess every time, and some computer programs can even beat chess grand masters, so I do not feel so bad.

However, there are probably things a person can do that a machine cannot come close to match. What are some of those things? In my case, because I am so insecure, I think I can wonder whether I was right about X and revisit my reasoning and alternative evidence and possibly reach a different conclusion. Can a computer program do something like that? Can a computer program doubt its own output, reflect, reconsider, and re-examine things? Perhaps not yet … and then, when that becomes possible, I will wonder whether a computer can laugh at its former response and say how stupid or naïve I was.

My conclusion now is that my insecurity has finally proven worthwhile.

Mike Spector

May 26, 2022

 

Rights and Wrongs

 

There is an apparent debate between those advocating for more states rights and those seeking protection of individual rights by the federal government. The lines are not clearly drawn and there is some hypocrisy on both sides. However, there is a great deal of difference in how advocates on each side behave. One side seems to think that lies and innuendo can be used freely and loosely while another side seems to think that this is a battle of minds being conducted by gentle folk. Both sides are mistaken. There is misinformation on both sides although one side is drowning in misinformation. There is feigned respect on both sides although one side has better actors.

T. S. Eliot has a line in “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” to the effect that in a minute there is time for a hundred revisions. No such time exists. The democracy is in peril. People in this country and other countries are under siege. The planet is threatened. Meanwhile, people “come and go talking of Michelango.” Getting and spending the wealthy have laid waste our powers. Will the American eagle ever stand up and fly right? Quoth the raven, nevermore.

Vague references to poetry aside, we are living through extremely challenging times when what is clearly right and what is clearly wrong are up for grabs, winner take all and leave nothing behind. What rights do individuals in this country have regardless of where they live and how much they earn? Name three. This is not a pop quiz. It is a test of your humanity. Name three. Which ones come to mind first? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Or was it life, liberty and property? Property and wealth may not ensure happiness, so those two responses have always confused me. Shall I accept the challenge I offered? Name three. What comes to my weak mind are (a) the right to a free public education at least through high school, (b) the right to practice openly whatever religion or lack of religion I choose, and (c) the right to say whatever I believe to whomever I choose, including marriage vows, oaths of office, prayers, and much more but excluding threats, lies, and rumors designed to engender hate and violence. What are your three responses? Who are you and who do you want to become?

 Mike Spector

May 2022

Bullies

 We seem to have low tolerance for bullies in elementary and secondary school environments. There is even a federal government site to support action against bullies in school settings (see https://www.stopbullying.gov/). A great deal of attention is paid to reducing or preventing bullying in schools. There is somewhat less attention paid to adult bullying, although some institutions do have policies and training in an attempt to minimize adult bullying. 

However, there is virtually no action against politicians who repeatedly engage in bullying others. The worst adult bullying offenders may well be the politicians responsible for preserving this fragile democracy. We have recently experienced four years of bullying at the highest level of the government. This so-called democracy has barely survived and may yet succumb to authoritarian rule by bullies and by the self-proclaimed righteous right who are convinced they know what is best for everyone. 

What has happened to that golden rule found in the Book of Leviticus? It was not to rule your neighbor but to love your neighbor. The current environment in this country is to rule over others even if bullying and hateful actions are necessary. We are losing the sense of justice, domestic tranquility, common defence, general welfare, and blessings of liberty on which this country was founded. We are lost. And others around the world are also losing. 

The new mantra of the offending parties is bullies of the world unite. Perhaps the worst one has invaded Ukraine.

I just realized I am a patriot after all ... what a surprise ... 

Mike Spector

3 May 2022