[lit-ideas] Re: Language, Justice and Social Practices (long)

I'm not clear that computers really do "play" chess, conventional language
aside. But it is possible to play chess with a computer since it's the
person doing the playing. (There's a kind of category mistake there; like
saying that brains think.) Freedom of the will would seem to be
presupposed in engaging in an activity or practice and I don't think
computers are free or have a will.

Walter Okshevsky
Konnichi-Saki Industries
Division of Machines, Robots & Persons
Sales and Rental Department

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005, John Wager wrote:

> Walter Okshevsky wrote:
>
> >On Thu, 29 Sep 2005, Eric Yost wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >> <>Walter wrote: I'm happy to refer to the "concept" of a chess pawn,
> >> rook, etc., in answer to Eric's question. But I don't think one can
> >> learn to play chess without learning the names of the pieces. The
> >> name identifies the set of inferential relations given by the concept.
> >
>
> Doesn't the fact that computers play chess mean its possible to "learn"
> chess without any concepts or any names?  (I know programs are written
> using shorthand compilers, but one might write the whole thing in MASM
> (assembly language) which doesn't use short-hand names for anything
> resembling a chess move. )
>
> --
> -------------------------------------------------
> "Never attribute to malice that which can be
> explained by incompetence and ignorance."
> -------------------------------------------------
> John Wager                  johnwager@xxxxxxxxxxx
>                              Forest Park, IL, USA
>
>
>
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