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- Sat May 13, 2017 10:36 am
#34818
Complete Question Explanation
Main Point. The correct answer choice is (B)
This author discusses the prospect for future production of truly intelligent machines, saying that artificial intelligence research will not be able to produce such machines without making major changes to the focus of the discipline. The author says the current focus on computational ability, without focus on other types of abilities, has limited potential—limited in the same way that a person would be without any emotional or any other non-cognitive response. In short, while progress has been made in some areas, without a radical shift in focus, potential is limited.
The argument’s logical components break down as follows:
Answer choice (A): This point, that a machine with mere computational sophistication is limited in the same way as a person without emotional or other non-cognitive responses, is a premise that the author provides in support of the main point, it is not the main conclusion itself.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. As prephrased above, the author’s main conclusion is that without a major shift in the discipline’s focus, the research into artificial intelligence will be incapable of creating truly intelligent machines.
Answer choice (C): The author does not specify the objectives of current research. If the objective was to create devices of sophisticated computational ability, that objective has been met. If the objective was to create “truly intelligent machines,” the objective has not been met. Regardless, this is certainly not the conclusion of the author’s argument, so it should be ruled out of contention in response to this Main Point question.
Answer choice (D): The author does not specify whether noncognitive responses are more or less important to true intelligence than computational sophistication; the author’s point is that computational complexity is not enough to achieve true intelligence. Since this point cannot be confirmed by the information in the stimulus, it fails the Fact Test and cannot possibly be the main point of the stimulus.
Answer choice (E): The author makes a point of saying that a machine with just computational ability is only as close to true intelligence as a person lacking noncognitive responses, but this is not the author’s main point, which is that unless there is a shift in focus the current research will not be able to produce truly intelligent machines.
Main Point. The correct answer choice is (B)
This author discusses the prospect for future production of truly intelligent machines, saying that artificial intelligence research will not be able to produce such machines without making major changes to the focus of the discipline. The author says the current focus on computational ability, without focus on other types of abilities, has limited potential—limited in the same way that a person would be without any emotional or any other non-cognitive response. In short, while progress has been made in some areas, without a radical shift in focus, potential is limited.
The argument’s logical components break down as follows:
- Premise:
Progress has been made in creating computationally complex devices.
Premise: The present focus will create devices that are limited in the true intelligence they are capable of.
Conclusion: Thus, research will be incapable of creating truly intelligent machines without major changes to the focus of their discipline.
Answer choice (A): This point, that a machine with mere computational sophistication is limited in the same way as a person without emotional or other non-cognitive responses, is a premise that the author provides in support of the main point, it is not the main conclusion itself.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. As prephrased above, the author’s main conclusion is that without a major shift in the discipline’s focus, the research into artificial intelligence will be incapable of creating truly intelligent machines.
Answer choice (C): The author does not specify the objectives of current research. If the objective was to create devices of sophisticated computational ability, that objective has been met. If the objective was to create “truly intelligent machines,” the objective has not been met. Regardless, this is certainly not the conclusion of the author’s argument, so it should be ruled out of contention in response to this Main Point question.
Answer choice (D): The author does not specify whether noncognitive responses are more or less important to true intelligence than computational sophistication; the author’s point is that computational complexity is not enough to achieve true intelligence. Since this point cannot be confirmed by the information in the stimulus, it fails the Fact Test and cannot possibly be the main point of the stimulus.
Answer choice (E): The author makes a point of saying that a machine with just computational ability is only as close to true intelligence as a person lacking noncognitive responses, but this is not the author’s main point, which is that unless there is a shift in focus the current research will not be able to produce truly intelligent machines.