Transcript Step back and look at the Science

Course Overview
 What is AI?
 What are the Major Challenges?
 What are the Main Techniques?
Part I:
Introduce you to
what’s happening in
Artificial Intelligence
 Where are we failing, and why?

Done
 Step back and look at the Science
 Step back and look at the History of AI
 What are the Major Schools of Thought?
 What of the Future?
Part II:
Give you an
appreciation for
the big picture
 Why it is a
grand challenge
Course Overview
 What is AI?
 What are the Major Challenges?
 What are the Main Techniques?
Part I:
Introduce you to
what’s happening in
Artificial Intelligence
 Where are we failing, and why?

Done
Step back and look at the Science
 Step back and look at the History of AI
 What are the Major Schools of Thought?
 What of the Future?
Part II:
Give you an
appreciation for
the big picture
 Why it is a
grand challenge
Course Overview
 What is AI?
 What are the Major Challenges?
 What are the
Main Techniques?
Looking
at the Science
 Engineering vs. Science
 Introduction to Cognitive Science
 Cognitive
1
Step back
and lookPsychology
at the Science
 Cognitive Psychology 2
 Cognitive
Development
 Step back and
look at the
History of AI
 Linguistics
 What are the
Major Schools of Thought?
 Neuroscience
 Philosophy
 Where are we failing, and why?
 What of the Future?
Course Overview
 What is AI?
 What are the Major Challenges?
 What are the
Main Techniques?
Looking
at the Science
 Engineering vs. Science
 Introduction to Cognitive Science
 Cognitive
1
Step back
and lookPsychology
at the Science
 Cognitive Psychology 2
 Cognitive
Development
 Step back and
look at the
History of AI
 Linguistics
 What are the
Major Schools of Thought?
 Neuroscience
 Philosophy
 Where are we failing, and why?
 What of the Future?
Language Module
 Specialised module in the brain?
 What other evidence could support Chomsky’s hypothesis?
 Neuroimaging can’t pinpoint a single area
 Many different areas involved in different aspects of
language
 Some areas seem to serve a number of different functions
 Modular processing could still exist within a functional
module
 Functionally specialised neural circuits
 A combination of components
some special to language, others more general
Language Module
 Evidence…
 People with damaged “language module”, but other cognitive abilities ok
 Damage in Broca’s area in the left hemisphere
– can be unable to produce or perceive language with complicated grammar
 People with limited cognitive abilities, but “language module” ok
 Williams Syndrome
– severe mental deficits, but grammatical language
 Many recent results/theories contradict this
 Damage in Wernicke's area – specialised language skill areas
 Poor comprehension
 Speech has a natural-sounding rhythm and normal syntax
 …but no recognisable meaning (fluent or jargon aphasia)
 Specific language impairment – 6% of population
 Not related to or caused by other developmental disorders
 Difficulty with inflected forms of words, "-ed"
 Alternative: language processed in general cognitive system
 No clear consensus yet… grammar localised… words not
Can Chimpanzees Learn Sign Language?
 Washoe was trained for sign “More”
 Learned sign for toothbrush by imitation
 Made up some novel combinations of words:
 refrigerator = OPEN FOOD DRINK
 Some criticisms of results
 Tried to replicate results with Nim Chimpsky, failed
 Learnt some signs, but no grammar
 Learnt nothing that could not be taught to a pigeon
 Much controversy about these studies
 Some claim it was self deception
 Example (Pinker): Researchers said chimp was making a sign
 Native human signer said he was just scratching himself
Can Chimpanzees Learn Sign Language?
Can Chimpanzees Learn Sign Language?
No
Recommended
Reading
Some Limitations on Internal Buffers…
 “That many teachers are being laid off in a shortsighted attempt to balance
this year’s budget at the same time that governor's cronies and bureaucratic
hacks are lining their pockets is appalling.”
 “It is appalling that many teachers are being laid off in a shortsighted
attempt to balance this year’s budget at the same time that governor's
cronies and bureaucratic hacks are lining their pockets.”
 Maybe grammar allows choice to ease buffer burden
 “The rapidity that the motion has is remarkable.”
 “The motion that the wing has is remarkable.”
 “The rapidity that the motion that the wing has has is remarkable.”
 “The rapidity that the motion that the wing that the hummingbird has has has
is remarkable.”
 “The dog bit the cat.”
 “The dog the stick beat bit the cat.”
 “The dog the stick the fire burned beat bit the cat.”
 Not short term memory… seems to be one part of the “parser”

Special buffer for this type of “incomplete phrase” – buffer size = 1!