Re: Machines that think...

Marcus Smith (marcus@BETA.LOYNO.EDU)
Fri, 16 May 1997 13:45:58 -0500

A brief reply to the issue of the subject heading and the Deep Blue v.
Kasparov story.

Percy, I think, would bring into play the Peircean categories of
Secondness (a binary sign system, which Deep Blue arguably possesses) and
Thirdness (a three-way structure of understanding with an essential human
in the loop: Kasparov). In a limited and highly structured logical system
such as chess (despite its many possibilities), Secondness might be more
semitotically efficient than Thirdness. But Secondness can never acquire
Thirdness, as I understand thing. There are probably people on this list
who can articulate this much better than I, and I invite them in.

Amateurishly,

Marcus Smith
Department of English
Loyola University
New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
Office: 504-865-2481; Fax 504-866-1966