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Lecture 18 (11/18/2003)Mind, Language and
Computation (1) Theory of Mind
To attribute beliefs, knowledge and emotions to
both oneself and others is to have what Premack
and Woodruff (1978) term a theory of mind.  A
theory of mind is a theory because, unlike
behavior, mental states are not directly
observable. . .. . . the moment that an
individual becomes capable of recognizing that
her companions have beliefs, and that these
beliefs may be different from her own, she
becomes capable of immensely more flexible and
adaptive behavior.
Cheney and Seyfarth, How monkeys see the world
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Alan Turing argued that to test an entitys
intelligence, we should see if its smart enough
to answer our questions. To pass this test, the
crucial requirement seems to be the knowledge and
skills required to do well on a test of
vocabulary or geography or reasoning. But to
carry on a human-like conversation, you need
something more. You have to understand that
others might have knowledge and beliefs different
from your own, and you have to be able to choose
actions that will influence others' states of
mind in a predictable, desired way. Lack of a
theory of mind seems to be the main reason that
other animals don't communicate among themselves
in anything like the way that humans do.
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Many researchers believe that people with autism
dont have (or cant use) normal human theory of
mind abilities they are mind blind. A
computer without theory-of-mind abilities would
not be a convincing conversational partner, any
more than someone with severe autism is.