Tania Lombrozo (What to think about machines that think)

Tania Lombrozo explores how advancements in technology, particularly thinking machines, have shaped our understanding of thinking itself. She begins by highlighting the shift from mechanical machines to digital devices and how this transformation has affected our perception of machines.

Lombrozo delves into the question of whether machines can be considered as thinking entities. She points out that we tend to attribute thought to devices like smartphones and computers more readily than traditional machines because they seem to exhibit thinking that is closer to human cognition. Our own thinking serves as a standard against which we evaluate what qualifies as thinking.

She discusses how various fields, including psychology, cultural psychology, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, and philosophy, have challenged the notion that “thinking like I do” is the only valid form of thinking. These disciplines have pushed us to broaden our understanding of thinking and abandon thinking chauvinism.

Lombrozo raises two sets of assumptions that need critical examination in the context of thinking machines. The first is the belief that the only valid thinking is adult human thinking, which can lead to dismissing alternative forms of machine-based thinking. The second assumption is that the best thinking mirrors the way current thinking machines operate, which may exclude the role of emotions or reliance on external resources in thinking.

She suggests that a middle ground between human-centric thinking and a narrow focus on current machine thinking is likely the best approach. Lombrozo concludes by noting that recent advances in artificial intelligence challenge our assumptions about thinking and encourage us to redefine our understanding of it.

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