The Chinese Room

In 1980, philosopher asked readers to imagine a locked room.

Someone passes Chinese characters through a slot in the wall. You do not speak Chinese, so the characters are only shapes to you.

You have a rulebook written in a language you do understand. It tells you which shapes to send back for each group of shapes you receive.

You follow the instructions and pass a response through the slot.

From outside the room, your answers look like fluent Chinese conversation. The person sending the messages might conclude that whoever is inside understands Chinese.

Inside, you still have not learned what any character means. You matched shapes according to rules.

This is the Chinese Room. Searle used it to make an argument about computers.

The Chinese Room

In 1980, philosopher asked readers to imagine a locked room.

Someone passes Chinese characters through a slot in the wall. You do not speak Chinese, so the characters are only shapes to you.

You have a rulebook written in a language you do understand. It tells you which shapes to send back for each group of shapes you receive.

You follow the instructions and pass a response through the slot.

From outside the room, your answers look like fluent Chinese conversation. The person sending the messages might conclude that whoever is inside understands Chinese.

Inside, you still have not learned what any character means. You matched shapes according to rules.

This is the Chinese Room. Searle used it to make an argument about computers.