programming-for-dummies

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Problem Solving
The idea that computers can think has divided
computer scientists into two camps — strong
and weak AI. The strong AI camp claims that
not only can computers eventually learn to
think, but they can become conscious of their
thinking as well. The weak AI camp claims that
computers can never think in the same sense
as humans because their thinking process is
nothing more than clever algorithms written by
a human programmer in the first place.
Strong AI proponents claim that the human
brain is nothing more than a set of algorithms,
known as instinct, that’s already embedded in
Strong versus weak AI
our brains, so putting algorithms in a computer
is no different. Weak AI proponents claim that
consciousness is something that only living
creatures can have, so it’s impossible for a
computer to ever become aware of itself as a
sentient being.
Neither side will likely persuade the other, but
this endless debate does prove that just
because someone has earned a Ph.D. in computer
science from a prestigious university
doesn’t mean that he or she can’t waste time
arguing about a topic that no one can ever
answer anyway, like politics, religion, or sports.
Basically, AI boils down to two topics — problem-solving and machine learning:
✦ Problem solving: When faced with a situation with missing information,
the computer can calculate an answer anyway.
✦ Machine learning: The computer can gradually learn from its mistakes
so it won’t repeat them again (which is something even humans have a
hard time mastering in their lifetime).
Problem Solving
Computers are great at solving simple problems that have a clearly defined path
to a solution. That’s why a computer can calculate the optimum trajectory for
launching a rocket to the moon because this problem involves nothing more
than solving a lot of math problems one at a time.
Although the idea of calculating the trajectory of a moon rocket may seem
daunting, it’s a problem that a human programmer can define how to solve
ahead of time. Computers don’t need to be smart to solve this type of problem.
Computers just need to be fast at following directions.
Unfortunately, human programmers can’t write algorithms for solving all
types of problems, so in many cases, the computer is left with trying to solve
a problem without any distinct instructions for what to do next. To teach
computers how to solve these types of problems, computer scientists have
to create algorithms that teach computers how to gather information and
solve indistinct problems by themselves.