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The term synthetic intelligence (SI) is used in two different ways.
- In the philosophy of artificial intelligence, "synthetic intelligence" has been used as a synonym for the field of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that the intelligence of machines is not an imitiation or any way artificial; it is a genuine form of intelligence. (Haugeland 1985) (Poole, Mackworth & Goebbel 1998, p. 1)
- In the commercial AI software, "synthetic intelligence" has been used to describe a complete departure from artificial intelligence, which emphasizes the development of strong AI.[citation needed]
[edit]As a synonym for artificial intelligence
According to this view, the term artificial intelligence is an oxymoron; implying that the intelligence is not intelligent. JohnHaugeland (1985) proposes an analogy with artificial and synthetic diamonds—only the synthetic diamond is truly a diamond. Synthetic means that which is produced by synthesis; combining parts to form a whole, colloquially, a man-made version of that which has arisen naturally (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synthesis). As defined (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intelligence), a Synthetic Intelligence would therefore be man-made, but not a simulation.
The issue of "simulation vs. reality" is a part of the philosophy of artificial intelligence. Russell & Norvig (2003, p. 948) present this example:
- "Can machines fly?" This is true, since airplanes fly.
- "Can machines swim?" This is false, because submarines don't swim.
- "Can machines think?" This is true, because computers can analyze autonomously.
Drew McDermott firmly believes that "thinking" should be construed like "flying". While discussing the electronic chess championDeep Blue, he argues "Saying Deep Blue doesn't really think about chess is like saying an airplane doesn't really fly because it doesn't flap its wings." (McDermott 1997) Edsger Dijkstra agrees that some find "the question whether machines can think as relevant as the question whether submarines can swim." (Dijkstra 2006)
John Searle, on the other hand, suggests that a thinking machine is, at best, a simulation, and writes "No one supposes that computer simulations of a five-alarm fire will burn the neighborhood down or that a computer simulation of a rainstorm will leave us all drenched." (Searle 1980, p. 12) The essential difference between a simulated mind and a real mind is one of the key points of hisChinese room argument.
Daniel Dennett believes that this is basically a disagreement about semantics and that it is peripheral to the central questions of thephilosophy of artificial intelligence. He notes that even a chemically perfect imitation of a Chateau Latour is still a fake, but that any Vodka is real, no matter who made it. (Dennett 1978, p. 197) Similarly, a perfect, molecule-by-molecule recreation of an originalPicasso would be considered a "forgery", but any image of the Coca-Cola logo is completely real and subject to trademark laws.Russell & Norvig (2003, p. 954) comment "we can conclude that in some cases, the behavior of an artifact is important, while in others it is the artifact's pedigree that matters. Which one is important in which case seems to be a matter of convention. But for artificial minds, there is no convention."
[edit]As a new sub-field of AI
Popularized by Seattle's IT Laboratories, Inc. in 1994 and again by Net VR Corporation of Redmond, WA in 1995, "Synthetic Intelligence" was defined as a type of true intelligence created from software. John Verity published "Computer Letter" from Technologic Partners in 1996 and flooded the investment community and other technology enthusiasts with a new way of looking at intelligence.[citation needed]
