Quote check of David Deutsch’s ‘The Beginning of Infinity’

In-house rules Jun 19, 2024 · By Dennis Hackethal

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Original text

For instance, the philosopher John Searle has placed the AI project in the following historical perspective: for centuries, some people have tried to explain the mind in mechanical terms, using similes and metaphors based on the most complex machines of the day. First the brain was supposed to be like an immensely complicated set of gears and levers. Then it was hydraulic pipes, then steam engines, then telephone exchanges – and, now that computers are our most impressive technology, brains are said to be computers. But this is still no more than a metaphor, says Searle, and there is no more reason to expect the brain to be a computer than a steam engine. But there is. A steam engine is not a universal simulator. But a computer is, so expecting it to be able to do whatever neurons can is not a metaphor: it is a known and proven property of the laws of physics as best we know them.

Quote text

[John Searle argues] there is no more reason to expect the brain to be a computer than a steam engine. But there is. A steam engine is not a universal simulator. But a computer is, so expecting it to be able to do whatever neurons can is not a metaphor: it is a known and proven property of the laws of physics as best we know them.

Ellipsis used (if any): ‘[...]’

Diff

For‧instance,‧the‧philosopher‧John‧Searle‧has‧placed‧the‧AI‧project‧in‧the‧following‧historical‧perspective:‧for‧centuries,‧some‧people‧have‧tried‧to‧explain‧the‧mind‧in‧mechanical‧terms,‧using‧similes‧and‧metaphors‧based‧on‧the‧most‧complex‧machines‧of‧the‧day.‧First‧the‧brain‧was‧supposed‧to‧be‧like‧an‧immensely‧complicated‧set‧of‧gears‧and‧levers.‧Then‧it‧was‧hydraulic‧pipes,‧then‧steam‧engines,‧then‧telephone‧exchanges‧–‧and,‧now‧that‧computers‧are‧our‧most‧impressive‧technology,‧brains‧are‧said‧to‧be‧computers.‧But‧this‧is‧still‧no‧more‧than‧a‧metaphor,‧says‧Searle,‧and[John‧Searle‧argues]‧there‧is‧no‧more‧reason‧to‧expect‧the‧brain‧to‧be‧a‧computer‧than‧a‧steam‧engine.↵
But‧there‧is.‧A‧steam‧engine‧is‧not‧a‧universal‧simulator.‧But‧a‧computer‧is,‧so‧expecting‧it‧to‧be‧able‧to‧do‧whatever‧neurons‧can‧is‧not‧a‧metaphor:‧it‧is‧a‧known‧and‧proven‧property‧of‧the‧laws‧of‧physics‧as‧best‧we‧know‧them.

added in the quote ~~removed~~ from the original wavy not marked as a change ‧ space

Part-by-part explanation

#	Part	Valid?	Explanation
1	For‧instance,‧the‧philosopher‧John‧Searle‧has‧placed‧the‧AI‧project‧in‧the‧following‧historical‧perspective:‧for‧centuries,‧some‧people‧have‧tried‧to‧explain‧the‧mind‧in‧mechanical‧terms,‧using‧similes‧and‧metaphors‧based‧on‧the‧most‧complex‧machines‧of‧the‧day.‧First‧the‧brain‧was‧supposed‧to‧be‧like‧an‧immensely‧complicated‧set‧of‧gears‧and‧levers.‧Then‧it‧was‧hydraulic‧pipes,‧then‧steam‧engines,‧then‧telephone‧exchanges‧–‧and,‧now‧that‧computers‧are‧our‧most‧impressive‧technology,‧brains‧are‧said‧to‧be‧computers.‧But‧this‧is‧still‧no‧more‧than‧a‧metaphor,‧says‧Searle,‧and	✓ yes	Deletion is followed by a valid insertion.
2	[John‧Searle‧argues]	✓ yes	Insertion is properly bracketed.
3	‧there‧is‧no‧more‧reason‧to‧expect‧the‧brain‧to‧be‧a‧computer‧than‧a‧steam‧engine.↵ But‧there‧is.‧A‧steam‧engine‧is‧not‧a‧universal‧simulator.‧But‧a‧computer‧is,‧so‧expecting‧it‧to‧be‧able‧to‧do‧whatever‧neurons‧can‧is‧not‧a‧metaphor:‧it‧is‧a‧known‧and‧proven‧property‧of‧the‧laws‧of‧physics‧as‧best‧we‧know‧them.

Part

Valid?

Explanation

For‧instance,‧the‧philosopher‧John‧Searle‧has‧placed‧the‧AI‧project‧in‧the‧following‧historical‧perspective:‧for‧centuries,‧some‧people‧have‧tried‧to‧explain‧the‧mind‧in‧mechanical‧terms,‧using‧similes‧and‧metaphors‧based‧on‧the‧most‧complex‧machines‧of‧the‧day.‧First‧the‧brain‧was‧supposed‧to‧be‧like‧an‧immensely‧complicated‧set‧of‧gears‧and‧levers.‧Then‧it‧was‧hydraulic‧pipes,‧then‧steam‧engines,‧then‧telephone‧exchanges‧–‧and,‧now‧that‧computers‧are‧our‧most‧impressive‧technology,‧brains‧are‧said‧to‧be‧computers.‧But‧this‧is‧still‧no‧more‧than‧a‧metaphor,‧says‧Searle,‧and

✓ yes

Deletion is followed by a valid insertion.

[John‧Searle‧argues]

✓ yes

Insertion is properly bracketed.

‧there‧is‧no‧more‧reason‧to‧expect‧the‧brain‧to‧be‧a‧computer‧than‧a‧steam‧engine.↵
But‧there‧is.‧A‧steam‧engine‧is‧not‧a‧universal‧simulator.‧But‧a‧computer‧is,‧so‧expecting‧it‧to‧be‧able‧to‧do‧whatever‧neurons‧can‧is‧not‧a‧metaphor:‧it‧is‧a‧known‧and‧proven‧property‧of‧the‧laws‧of‧physics‧as‧best‧we‧know‧them.

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