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Computers, thinking, and gender

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I was surprised when I found out that the original Turing test incorporated gender into the test. As you will see The Imitation Game version of the Turing test the computer doesn't just convince the interrogator that it is human but that it is a man rather than a woman.

What?

I'm just going to copy the descriptions from wikipedia if you don't mind. The first description and picture describes a party game. The second picture and description describes the same game altered into what we call the Turing Test.

Quote:

The Imitation Game, as described by Alan Turing in "Computing Machinery and Intelligence." Player C, through a series of written questions, attempts to determine which of the other two players is a man, and which of the two is the woman. Player A, the man, tries to trick player C into making the wrong decision, while player B tries to help player C.

[Ok, now remove the woman and add a computer.]

The Original Imitation Game Test, in which the player A is replaced with a computer. The computer is now charged with the role of the woman, while player B continues to attempt to assist the interrogator.

When I found out about this original Turing test this is the question that popped in my head - "Was Turing pointing to some fundamental connection between thought and gender?

Well...most likely no. Turing was just altering an existing party game for his purposes. I still find it interesting. Thoughts?

@Deckard,

This is interesting, especially as Turing was obsessed with Snow White...but I can't stop thinking about Blade Runner now! The replicant who doesn't know she is a replicant. Was that movie inspired by Turing? Probably...But maybe it was in the air.

Generally I think men and women do think different, but I can only speak from experience. And stress that women are often wiser, even if men have a certain tenacity of focus.

@Reconstructo,

Reconstructo;171972 wrote:

This is interesting, especially as Turing was obsessed with Snow White...but I can't stop thinking about Blade Runner now! The replicant who doesn't know she is a replicant. Was that movie inspired by Turing? Probably...But maybe it was in the air.

Generally I think men and women do think different, but I can only speak from experience. And stress that women are often wiser, even if men have a certain tenacity of focus.

Yes undoubtedly P.K. Dick was thinking of Turing as he wrote that book. Although in the time of Bladerunner the Turing test had been left behind. Replicants could easily fool humans in something like the Imitation Game. Voight-Kampff machine was used to determine replicants from humans. I suppose this could be considered stepping up the Turing test and providing the interrogator with new tools.

The nexus of gender and androids is a little of corner of post modern critical thought that I haven't really explored. All sorts of themes come to the surface. Objectification, the other, simulacra blah blah blah. But maybe you get the picture. Its an interesting little area to explore.

Will the simulacra of a sexy woman someday be more sexy than a real woman could ever be?

@Deckard,

Deckard;172014 wrote:

Will the simulacra of a sexy woman someday be more sexy than a real woman could ever be?

I honestly think that just in pure visual terms that certain real women absolute touch perfection. They are perfect circles or perfectly straight lines, if you will.

But there are in my opinion sexual archetypes. So if we are talking videos or automated ultra-dolls, these dolls might get close to perfect... if a man (or woman) can forget themselves sufficiently. And the internet porn industry suggests this possibility. Cost and social stigma would be an issue. Would it be great or terrible? Would humans learn to do it better between themselves, or just forget to do it with one another?

@Reconstructo,

Reconstructo;172018 wrote:

I honestly think that just in pure visual terms that certain real women absolute touch perfection. They are perfect circles or perfectly straight lines, if you will.

But there are in my opinion sexual archetypes. So if we are talking videos or automated ultra-dolls, these dolls might get close to perfect... if a man (or woman) can forget themselves sufficiently. And the internet porn industry suggests this possibility. Cost and social stigma would be an issue. Would it be great or terrible? Would humans learn to do it better between themselves, or just forget to do it with one another?

Oh brave new world, that has such "people" in it.

@Reconstructo,

Reconstructo;172018 wrote:

I honestly think that just in pure visual terms that certain real women absolute touch perfection. They are perfect circles or perfectly straight lines, if you will.

But there are in my opinion sexual archetypes. So if we are talking videos or automated ultra-dolls, these dolls might get close to perfect... if a man (or woman) can forget themselves sufficiently. And the internet porn industry suggests this possibility. Cost and social stigma would be an issue. Would it be great or terrible? Would humans learn to do it better between themselves, or just forget to do it with one another?

Is it conceivable that a doll ( replicant) could have the perfect sense of touch to behave convincingly in the darkened room?
After all, isn't it within the darkened room that one forgets oneself and surrenders to the sense of touch?

@wayne,

The Turing test could be expanded to having sex. To pass the test, the robot would have to convince the interrogator that it was really a man or a woman and not just a computer. But usually Turing test is considered a test for true (though artificial) intelligence. What would the sexual Turing test be a test for?

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