Single Idea 3496

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / C. Functionalism / 7. Chinese Room]

Full Idea

A computer, me for example, could run the steps in the program for some mental capacity, such as understanding Chinese, without understanding a word of Chinese.

Gist of Idea

A program for Chinese translation doesn't need to understand Chinese

Source

John Searle (The Rediscovery of the Mind [1992], Ch. 9.II)

Book Reference

Searle,John R.: 'The Rediscovery of the Mind' [MIT 1999], p.200


A Reaction

I don't think this is true. I could recite a bit of Chinese without comprehension, but giving flexible answers to complex questions isn't plausible just by gormlessly implementing a procedure.