#19 - A successful chess-playing computer would prove either that a machine

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Weaken. The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[landphil]

I was in between D and E for awhile, and when I had leftover time with the section, I went back to this question and changed my answer to E, which was wrong. I don't really see how either answer actually works.

Could you please explain a bit to bridge my gap in understanding how D exposes that the author is vulnerable to the criticism that a successful chess playing machine wouldn't model human playing? Can someone explain how that really messes up with the idea that a machine would be proving that it can think or that chess does not involve thinking?

Thank you in advance!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi landphil,

We want to weaken the idea that a chess-playing computer would indicate anything about human intelligence or thought. That means that we want to weaken the connection between the computer's ability, and human ability.

In answer choice (D), it weakens that connection by stating that the way in which computers would approach chess would differ from the way that humans do.

Answer choice (E) is irrelevant to our argument. Even if chess ability is connected to the opportunity to play, we still don't weaken the connection between the COMPUTER ability and human ability. Answer choice (E) related to human ability as compared to other humans, not as compared to computers.

Hope that helps!

[landphil]

Hi Rachel,

Yes, thank you! Your explanation has allowed me to see the question, stimulus, and answers better. I also realize now that "the reasoning is more vulnerable to the criticism that it doesn't consider the possibility that" makes much more sense for D than E. D is a real criticism of the argument. E is not really something that is a super big deal to the argument. And E even only uses non extreme words like "has more to do with" than D, which conclusively states a problem with the author's argument.

Thank you!

[valegria]

I was stuck between A & D. I ended up choosing A. Why is A wrong?
My train of thought was that theres a connection between human intelligence and thinking. Since the premise is about "thinking" and the conclusion is about human intelligence. I don't fully understand the relationship of D to the stimulis Please help

[EmilyOwens]

I was stuck between A & D. I ended up choosing A. Why is A wrong?
My train of thought was that theres a connection between human intelligence and thinking. Since the premise is about "thinking" and the conclusion is about human intelligence. I don't fully understand the relationship of D to the stimulis Please help

Hi Valegria,

The question asks us to choose what is not considered in the stimulus. (A) is actually an assumption the author would have to make to make the stimulus make sense. If the author doesn’t assume this, there is no link to thought and human intelligence, and the argument falls apart. Therefore, (A) actually strengthens what’s presented in the stimulus.

Answer choice (D), however, attacks another assumption the author is making: that the computer would model a human approach to chess playing. If the computer does not play like a human would, what’s the link between computers and humans? Why would we change our perception of human intelligence if the computer doesn’t do what humans would do? If there’s no link between the two, there’s no valid argument.

I hope that helps!