Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Dickinson Faculty Forum

Can a Computer Program Think Like a Human?

John MacCormick is Professor of Computer Science at Dickinson College

Computer scientists have known since the 1950s that it is possible, in principle, for a computer to emulate human cognitive processes.  But the startling advances in artificial intelligence over the last two decades have given us new insights into some specific similarities between human cognition and the computer programs known as a deep neural networks. These similarities will be explained without assuming any background knowledge from the audience. Armed with an understanding of how modern AI systems work, we can debate the consequences for a liberal arts education.

This program is presented by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and part of it’s Dickinson Faculty Forum series. It is also affiliated with the Clarke Forum’s annual theme, Revolutions.

Biography (provided by the speaker)

John MacCormick’s work in computer science spans several sub-fields, including artificial intellegence, computer vision, large-scale distributed systems, computer science education, and the public understanding of computer science. He is the author of four books, including Nine Algorithms That Changed the Future: The Ingenious Ideas That Drive Today’s Computers and  Read more