Can Machines Have Common Sense?

Scientists have been trying to create a “thinking” machine, that is, one that could mimic human thought, since the mid-1950s.  They’ve said such a machine is inevitable, but so far they have not come even close to succeeding in having a machine have the common sense possessed by most humans.  “The problem of how to turn common sense into a computable algorithm is not just a matter of the total quantity of discrete facts a human being knows, whether explicitly or tacitly. The problem is deeper. Common sense is primarily about how we tell what is relevant, what matters, in a given situation,” writes the author.  Throw in “anthropocentric” – human-based – emotions, and the problem gets even more complex.  A fascinating exploration of a new book on the topic.

Read More: The New Atlantis