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	<title>Comments on: Can computers think? Mapping the great debates</title>
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	<link>http://opentopersuasion.com/2007/11/18/can-computers-think-mapping-the-great-debates/</link>
	<description>Open reasoning in a complex world</description>
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		<title>By: David</title>
		<link>http://opentopersuasion.com/2007/11/18/can-computers-think-mapping-the-great-debates/comment-page-1/#comment-3</link>
		<dc:creator>David</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:04:16 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>Paul, thank you for the positive feedback about Debatemapper and for making the inaugural comment on the blog; Wittgensteinians (hardline or otherwise) will always be welcome here.

From a debate mapping perspective, a key distinction is whether the perceived confusion arises from the translation (and in this case the translation of the translation) or from the original source material. At either extreme, a map may be a lucid representation of a confused debate or a confused representation of a lucid debate. 

One of the strengths of a collaboratively editable debate map is that it offers a means to correct either source of confusion over time; so that the map, which is always provisional, evolves towards the best possible collective, current representation of the debate. Although, of course, from a Wittgensteinian perspective, I recognise that this may involve the admonition to delete some of the maps altogether!

Wittgenstein features (in a comparatively minor role) as one of the protagonists on the original map; and, as you indicate in your commentary, there is clearly an opportunity to expand the scope of his arguments both within the frame of the debate and about the frame of the debate.

This is precisely the kind of next step that we hope the representation of the map in this form will encourage and enable.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Paul, thank you for the positive feedback about Debatemapper and for making the inaugural comment on the blog; Wittgensteinians (hardline or otherwise) will always be welcome here.</p>
<p>From a debate mapping perspective, a key distinction is whether the perceived confusion arises from the translation (and in this case the translation of the translation) or from the original source material. At either extreme, a map may be a lucid representation of a confused debate or a confused representation of a lucid debate. </p>
<p>One of the strengths of a collaboratively editable debate map is that it offers a means to correct either source of confusion over time; so that the map, which is always provisional, evolves towards the best possible collective, current representation of the debate. Although, of course, from a Wittgensteinian perspective, I recognise that this may involve the admonition to delete some of the maps altogether!</p>
<p>Wittgenstein features (in a comparatively minor role) as one of the protagonists on the original map; and, as you indicate in your commentary, there is clearly an opportunity to expand the scope of his arguments both within the frame of the debate and about the frame of the debate.</p>
<p>This is precisely the kind of next step that we hope the representation of the map in this form will encourage and enable.</p>
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		<title>By: Paul Johnston</title>
		<link>http://opentopersuasion.com/2007/11/18/can-computers-think-mapping-the-great-debates/comment-page-1/#comment-2</link>
		<dc:creator>Paul Johnston</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:32:58 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>I think debatemapper is a fascinating tool - I wish I could share your enthusiasm for the Can Computers Think? map. As a hardline Wittgensteinian virtually all the boxes on the map strike me as confused. If pressed, I suppose I would say that it is conceivable that we might come across a computer that could think just as we might come across a tree that could think. Not sure that there is any evidence as to which of these events is more likely. I fear this view makes me a rather uncertain ally of the &quot;it is conceivable that computer might think&quot; camp.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I think debatemapper is a fascinating tool &#8211; I wish I could share your enthusiasm for the Can Computers Think? map. As a hardline Wittgensteinian virtually all the boxes on the map strike me as confused. If pressed, I suppose I would say that it is conceivable that we might come across a computer that could think just as we might come across a tree that could think. Not sure that there is any evidence as to which of these events is more likely. I fear this view makes me a rather uncertain ally of the &#8220;it is conceivable that computer might think&#8221; camp.</p>
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