Plan for a community of Inquiry on Machines That Make Decisions

Key questions

What is intelligence?

What is a mistake?

What does it take to make a decision?

 

1. Brainstorm machines that operate without immediate human control:

the on/off switch on a timer say for an electric blanket

alarms of various kinds: smoke detector, movement sensors, aeroplane alarms, etc.

simple programs: washing machine cycle, VCR functions

complex functions: medical respirator, dialysis machine

an 'autonomous' robot collecting dust on another planet

synchronous functions on a computer: 'remembering' last files, storing website addresses, copying files

master computer that runs a war: buys supplies, replenishes ammunition, devises strategies, deciphers secret codes, suggests operational options, composes new maps to keep pace with the action, etc.

 

2. Using a Scale of Complexity (Cam 1998), place the items in order of increasing complexity.

 

3. Are we able to place human decisions on this scale?

Can you measure 'intelligence' by complexity of its actions?

Can you discover intelligence by the autonomy of its actions?

Can you recognise intelligence by an ability to correcta mistake?

 

4. Brainstorm 'mistakes'

Not following orders when you could? ( a programmed machine can never make mistakes)

Doing the right think for the wrong reasons? or vice versa?

Could a robot make mistakes?

 

5. What is needed to make a decision?

Full data (shallow decisions lead to mistakes)

Selection among options (otherwise just programmed)

Will, commitment to action.

Checking, monitoring.

 

Devised for a demonstration class with 12 year olds at the Hobart FAPCA Conference

by G. Smith 1999.

 

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