
Computers May Know “How” but They Still Don’t Know “Why”
Computers will not equal, let alone surpass, human intelligence.Several years ago, a visiting professor taught an introductory statistics class at Pomona College, where I have taught for more than 40 years. When I asked how the class was going, he said, “At my university students ask how; here they ask why.” Knowing how to do a statistical test is important but more important is knowing why a specific test might be appropriate. During a recent Saturday morning bike ride, I got to thinking about the way that this distinction relates to the limitations of current AI systems. Take something as simple as peddling a bicycle. A robotic bike rider equipped with a powerful AI system might be programmed to peddle or it might be trained to peddle by Read More ›