Information Technology Reference
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any way in what we choose; we can make a free and arbitrary
choice. On the other hand, in Kornhuber's experiment, we also may
think we can make a free and arbitrary choice, but an external ob
server could learn about our decision before we seem to know about
it. In that context, we may wonder how free and arbitrary our
choice really was.
Without delving into an indepth discussion of the notion of free
will and intelligence, we can observe that much of our behavior is
closely tied to the electrochemical functioning of our brains, neural
connections, and muscles. At least a significant part of this behavior
is linked to our experiences and learned responses. How all this fits
into the realm of intelligence is an open question, but it seems that
we may want to investigate some common assumptions before mak
ing any final conclusion.
Returning to the realm of computers, observe that computers are
electromechanical devices whose behavior depends on programs
within memory, the functioning of CPUs, the gathering of data, the
processing of the data, and the connections of various components.
Because computers are constructed machines, we do not consider
them as displaying consciousness or having free will. The discussion
in this section, however, suggests that we might consider people as
electrochemical beings that may not be fundamentally different from
the electromechanical devices known as computers. Computers fol
low programs, whereas people's behaviors depend upon the func
tioning of neurons. We do not think of computers as having free will;
choices by people similarly seem dependent on underlying electro
chemical forces. The connection between intelligence and conscious
ness is difficult to identify. If people and computers both behave
based on internal programming, then it might be plausible that com
puters might eventually be intelligent, because people are. If, how
ever, intelligence depends upon some other factors, then we may
need to probe deeper to determine what those factors might be.
whether computers can think?
As we have observed, defining the notion of thought or intelligence
is difficult. Further, you should observe that common understandings
