James J. O’Donnell reflects on the diverse ways in which the term “thinking” is used in human language, ranging from mundane decisions to complex introspections and emotions.
He questions whether machines can experience confusion, cognitive dissonance, dreaming, wonder, forgetfulness, self-esteem, or other human-like mental states. O’Donnell believes that such characteristics are beyond the capabilities of artificial mechanisms.
However, he acknowledges that machines are already adept at certain tasks like controlling fuel injection in cars and can be designed to make decisions without human supervision. He speculates that machines could perform well in various roles, but the possibility of them causing mass havoc remains a doubt.
Ultimately, O’Donnell suggests that the question of whether machines can think is relevant only in the context of caring about the machine as an autonomous being. He concludes by not worrying about this for now, inviting readers to consider what exactly they are pondering when they ask if machines can think.