Artificial Intelligence

In my opinion, there is a huge difference between the programming of computers and the way humans are "programmed" by society. To begin with, computers and all its functions are made by humans and for humans. There is no way that a computer can function without the initial input of a human. Furthermore, for all the advancement in technology and the improvements computers have contributed to our daily lives; they still are not able to take over human actions just be sheer instinct. 

Another point that needs to be taken into consideration is the fact that computers are pretty universal in the way in which they work once programmed. What I mean by this is that if you were to take two computers that were programmed by the same person, they will react the same way time and time again to the same commands. 

On the other hand, the way in which humans are "programmed" can vary depending on  the place where they are being raised, the culture, the influence other people have on them. People also have the choice to either follow what has been taught to them or make their own choice in order to follow their own path. Furthermore, if you have two people who have been raised in the same circumstances, with the same influence and the same "programming instructions" more often than not you will get two different reactions. 

It is precisely these differences that make humans and artificial intelligence so different. As smart and useful as computers get with improvements, they lack the liberty of choice and instinct that we, as humans, have and enjoy. Even though computers can be updated once they are programmed, humans have the ability to be completely "re-programmed" if they chose to. 

Dualism

I believe that we are beings composed of two substances like Descartes argued. However, unlike him I believe that these two substances are completely interrelated with one another, which is also known as interactionism. If it wasn't for our ability to combine both our physical assets (like the brain) with our mental ones (like the mind) we wouldn't be able to make simple decisions such as what to write for this blog. 

Due to the lack of knowledge during Descartes' time as to how the brain works, a lot was not properly understood (i.e the example given in the reading about the pineal gland). But now with the technology available to us, we can comprehend more about the way in which the brain works and all the connections that must happen in order for us to complete simple tasks.  

One way in which the brain and the mind work together can be seen in people who have had accidents and suffer trauma. Depending on the severity of the injury, some people have described feeling trapped in their own bodies. In a documentary “Coma” by HBO, a patient by the name of Tom is seen struggling to get his body follow simple commands such as “close your hand”. In an interview done a few months after he had regained both mental and physical strength, he explained how even though early on in his recovery from a coma he could understand what was asked of him; he still wasn't able to get his body to do what he wanted.

If we go back to Descartes’ argument of interactionism, one can see that in the previous example Tom needed both his physical asset (his brain) and his metal (his mind) in order to be able to complete the tasks that were asked of him. I strongly believe that one does not work without the other and with the help of both we become the people that we are.