The applications of Artificial Intelligence lie all around us; in our
homes, schools and offices, in our cinemas, in art galleries and - not
least - on the Internet. The results of Artificial Intelligence have
been invaluable to biologists, psychologists, and linguists in helping
to understand the processes of memory, learning, and language from a
fresh angle.
As a concept, Artificial Intelligence has fuelled and sharpened the
philosophical debates concerning the nature of the mind, intelligence,
and the uniqueness of human beings. Margaret A. Boden reviews the
philosophical and technological challenges raised by Artificial
Intelligence, considering whether programs could ever be really
intelligent, creative or even conscious, and shows how the pursuit of
Artificial Intelligence has helped us to appreciate how human and animal
minds are possible.