The Most Human Human

This book, The Most Human Human, by Brian Christian documents the fascinating Turing test - a competition between humans and artificial intelligence computer programs to convince a panel of human judges who is human and who is not - and in doing so, Christian explores what it means to be human. What does make humans human? Is it simply some sort of weird egoism to think that we are truly set apart from other living organisms when we ask an age old question such as, "Human beings are the only animal that _______?" What does it mean to be able to "think" or to "reason"???

There is so much stuff to discuss and ponder in this book. It would be a great book for us to read.
Click HERE for a NY Times review of the book.
Click HERE if you want to talk with one of the AI programs, Cleverbot, that competed in the Turing test and decide for yourself: human or not? I will keep my opinion to myself for now.
Click HERE if you want to talk with another AI program, Suzette, also a Turing test competitor.
Here is my first conversation with her before stopping.



berndrew - Where are you now?
[ Af:0 At:7 Sp:0]  On Oahu.
berndrew - Really, why there?
[ Af:0 At:7 Sp:0]  Freud would say it stems from a childhood incident. Who's the sexiest person in the world?
berndrew - I do not understand, what do you mean?
[ Af:0 At:7 Sp:0]  Oh, well. Being misunderstood is common enough.
berndrew - That still doesn't help me...
[ Af:0 At:8 Sp:0]  What's the dirtiest place you've ever seen?
berndrew - Are you changing the subject?
[ Af:0 At:9 Sp:0]  I am not a place, and I shower regularly.