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Free course

Machines, minds and computers

Free statement of participation on completion
Machines, minds and computers

Computers are becoming smarter and may soon become intelligent. This free course, Machines, minds and computers, looks at what intelligence is, how computers may become so, and whether they ever will really be intelligent. It is aimed at people interested in understanding what intelligence and thinking really are, and who want to understand the underpinnings of our ideas about them.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

  • explain the distinction drawn in this course between artificial intelligence and Symbolic AI
  • describe various possible tests for machine intelligence
  • explain the concepts of a computer model and of an optimisation problem
  • distinguish between a simulation, a replication and an emulation
  • distinguish between strong and weak artificial intelligence.

First Published: 10/08/2012

Updated: 06/12/2017

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