Natureza e artifício: uma reflexão sobre as noções de computador, inteligência e humanidade

Abstract

In this article, we deal with the problem of artificial intelligence from the following specific formulation: can a computer display intelligence? Our approach to this question will, deliberately and to a large extent, resort to what we can call ‘caricatures’ - an expressive resource that, although known to portray towards the grotesque, is often effective in emphasising some aspect of what is portrayed according to the purposes of the portraitist. Employing this type of device, we will offer, by way of starting points, characterisations of a paradigmatic intelligence model and also of what a computer is. Based on these, we will discuss three possible reactions to the aforementioned formulation: the first, negative and representative of an attitude that could be called orthodox; the second, positive, inspired by philosophical contributions of Turing and Wittgenstein; and the third, dissolutive, driven by thoughts aligned with Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics.

Keywords

• artificial intelligence
• computer
• humanity
• turing
• gadamer
• wittgenstein