Luminous Room isn't the same as Chinese Room

The luminous room argument exploits a problematic analogy between syntax and electromagnetism. The problem with this analogy is set out in the detailed text.

Either: syntax is understood as a purely formal property

In which case: the analogy fails because electromagnetism has causal properties and formal syntax does not.

Or: syntax is understood in terms of the physics of its implementing medium (e.g. the computer on which the program is run),

In which case: the analogy holds but is irrelevant to AI, because AI researchers are interested in the formal properties of programs rather than in the causal properties of silicon circuits.
 
In either case: the analogy lacks force against the Chinese Room argument.

John Searle, 1990b.
RELATED ARTICLESExplain
Artificial Intelligence
Can computers think? [1]
Yes: physical symbol systems can think [3]
The Chinese Room Argument [4]
The Syntax-Semantics Barrier
The Luminous Room argument
Luminous Room isn't the same as Chinese Room
John Searle
Graph of this discussion
Enter the title of your article


Enter a short (max 500 characters) summation of your article
Enter the main body of your article
Lock
+Comments (0)
+Citations (0)
+About
Enter comment

Select article text to quote
welcome text

First name   Last name 

Email

Skip