1. Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness
Goutam Paul
Computer Science Department
SUNY, Albany
HumaniTech Conference, April 24, 2004

2. Organization of the talk
Introduction
What is AI?
Past, Present and Future of AI
Limitations of AI
Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness: Machine vs Human
Conclusion
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

3. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Introduction
Can human beings create machines who can
think
&
act
like Humans ?
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

4. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
What is AI?
Multidisciplinary field:
Computer Science
Mathematics
Logic and Philosophy
Probability Theory and Statistics
Control Systems
Information Theory
Psychology
Neurobiology
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

5. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
What is AI? (contd…)
Four Approaches: two dichotomies
Thought versus Behavior
Human-like versus Ideal (Rational)
Systems that
Human
Ideal
Thought
think like humans
think rationally
Behavior
act like humans
act rationally
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

6. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
What is AI? (contd…)
Acting humanly: Turing Test Approach
How is the weather today?
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

7. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
What is AI? (contd…)
Thinking humanly: Cognitive Modeling Approach
Brings together
(a) Computer Models from AI
(b) Experimental Techniques from Psychology
Constructs testable theories of the workings of human mind
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

8. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
What is AI? (contd…)
Thinking Rationally: Laws of Thought Approach
Initiated by Aristotle ( B.C.)
Logical Reasoning and Deductions
Example:
Socrates is a Man
All men are mortal
Therefore, Socrates is Mortal
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

9. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
What is AI? (contd…)
Acting Rationally:
Rational Agent Approach
Agent: something that
perceives and acts
Examples:
(b) Soccer playing agent
(c) Agent Smith in the movie “Matrix”
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

10. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Looking back …
Socrates ( B.C.)
An algorithm to distinguish between good and bad
Plato ( B.C.)
Laws governing the rational part of the mind
Aristotle ( B.C.)
Foundation of Logic
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

11. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
More History
George Boole ( )
Symbolic Logic
Rene’ Descartes ( )
Problem with purely “mechanical” mind:
No free-will
Kenneth Craik ( )
Cognitive Psychology
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

12. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Recent History
Alan Turing ( )
Rigorous mathematical characterizations of how a computer program works
Von Neumann ( )
Decision Theory: to distinguish between good and bad actions (Socrates’ dream)
McCulloch and Pitts (1943)
Neural Network
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

13. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Present
Learn to recognize spoken words
Predict recovery rates of patients
Detect fraudulent use of credit cards
Drive autonomous vehicles on public highways
Play games at levels
approaching the performance
of human world champions
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

14. More AI Systems of Today
Classify celestial objects in NASA’s Sky Survey
Forensic analysis
Medical diagnosis
Weather prediction
Trading agent in stock markets
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

15. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Future of AI
Robots as domestic servants
Robots serving customers in shopping centers and restaurants
Soccer team with both human and machines
Turning on / off T.V. from your bed just by thinking
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

16. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Limitations of AI
Kurt Gödel ( )’ Incompleteness Theorems (1931)
Rigorous in Math
Intuitively very simple
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

17. Limitations of AI (contd…)
Any Scientific Theory is based on some assumptions called Axioms
Examples of Axioms
Geometry: point
Physics: matter, space, time
Mathematics and Computer Science: numbers like 1,2,3,…
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

18. Limitations of AI (contd…)
Gödel’s 1st Incompleteness Theorem
Given any axiom system,
there will always be some true statement,
which the system will not be able to prove.
Implications
if human mind is a mechanical system,
then there will always be some truth about our mind which we will not be able to know
If we cannot know our own mind or intelligence completely, then how can we create a being with mind or intelligence?
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

19. Limitations of AI (contd…)
Consistency
Either true or false but not both
Examples
“It is raining” → consistent
“It is not raining” → consistent
“It is both raining and not raining” → inconsistent
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

20. Limitations of AI (contd…)
Gödel’s 2nd Incompleteness Theorem
If an axiom system is consistent,
then it cannot verify its own consistency
Implications
if we design a robot, it cannot verify its own consistency
We can verify our own consistency
Hence, our mind is not purely mechanical – it has some “spirit” part into it (as stated by Descartes)
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

21. Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness
Body – sense organs
Mind – repository of thoughts and feelings
Intelligence – logic, rationality, power of discrimination
Consciousness –
symptom of life
being aware of ones own existence
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

22. Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness (contd…)
Mind > Body
Example:
Pain in body versus pain in mind
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

23. Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness (contd…)
Intelligence > Mind
Examples:
(a) Bitter medicine
(b) Decision by emotions versus
rational decision
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

24. Body, Mind, Intelligence, Consciousness (contd…)
Consciousness > Intelligence
Examples:
(a) Patient in a coma
(b) Trees
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

25. Superiority of Consciousness
Intelligence
Mind
Body
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

26. Superiority of Consciousness (Contd …)
Examples of different levels of satisfaction:
Eating Food – Body
Seeing beautiful scenery, Listening to music – Mind
Solving Math, Composing Music – Intelligence
Service to others, love, sacrifice - Consciousness
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

27. Superiority of Consciousness (Contd …)
Decisions taken by Intelligence may not always be right
In Logic, a perfect argument may lead to a wrong conclusion,
if the initial axioms are wrong
Example: Political decisions
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

28. Superiority of Consciousness (Contd …)
When will intelligence take correct decisions?
– When the axioms are correct
When will the axioms be correct?
– Axioms cannot be proved!
They are assumed to be self-evident truth.
Where do the axioms come from?
– Consciousness
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

29. Machine Intelligence and Consciousness
The primary tool AI has is Logic
Intelligence may partly be analyzed using Logic
Consciousness cannot be understood by Logic, because:
consciousness is the very source of Logic
Artificial Consciousness is impossible
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

30. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Machine vs Human
Body:
Hardware
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

31. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Machine vs Human
Intelligence:
Software
using Logic
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

32. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Machine vs Human
Mind:
???
Consciousness:
?????????...
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

33. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Conclusion
Original goal of AI:
To create thinking machines
Byproduct:
Other systems
Advantage:
Significant applications to many real life problems
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA

34. Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA
Questions?
HumaniTech Conference April 24, 2004
Goutam Paul Computer Science, SUNYA