First Questions on AI...
1) What is
intelligence? The etymology of the word tells us
inter-"between" +
legere-"choose, pick out, read" inter-lege-nt-ia, literally "choosing between"
Therefore the essential idea behind intelligence is free will. Moreover, skill in using one's free will. What makes Kasparov intelligent and the cycle of the tides not? The fact that the tides are completely predictable, whereas Kasparov has the capacity to choose his own chess move. What makes Kasparov more intelligent (at chess) than David Bergan? The fact that his choices lead more often to victory.
2) Do computers have free will? Nope. They are completely deterministic. The closest they get is a mix of accurate calculations with a dash of randomness. Randomness in computer science is usually pseudo-randomness... the comp uses a function that gives us a distribution that simulates randomness, but the input and the output itself is deterministic.
More sophisticated computer random generators use things like the sound level (the third decimal point in the decible reading, for example) in the room so that it is not completely mathematically deterministic, but it is still deterministic. The function pulls all these variables in and gives you something that seems pretty close to a truly random distribution.
Of course we could say that dice and coin tosses are also deterministic.
Randomness, like intelligence, is hard to pin down. But the notion is that modern physics does assert that some parts of quantum theory are truly random... Which is the meaning behind Einstein's quote that so many people use in their sig "God does not play dice with the universe." Einstein said that because he didn't think that there was a true randomness, but it looks like he was in error.
3) Do humans have free will? An ancient question. If free will doesn't exist, then neither does intelligence. If it does exist, is intelligence natural, supernatural, or both? If there's a supernatural element to intelligence, how does it interact with nature? (ie How does the soul command the body? Where is the connection? The
pineal gland?)
On the other hand, if there isn't a supernatural element to intelligence, how do we explain awareness? (ie "It is impossible that our rational part should be other than spiritual; and if any one maintain that we are simply matter, this would far more exclude us from the knowledge of things, there being nothing so inconceivable as to say that matter knows itself. It is impossible to imagine how it should know itself."—Pascal,
Pensées)
The questions only get more vexing the deeper you dig. What's funny to me is to hear people talk with certainty on the subject. You can state that you don't believe in souls... but be sure that you are clear that it is only a belief. There is no further evidence for one position or the other... you are merely stating that you are personally more comfortable with the idea that there are no souls, and therefore no free will, and probably nothing supernatural.
On the other hand, I prefer to think there are souls and free will because without them there is nothing more absurd than to thank someone for passing the mustard.