The physical structure

This topic has expert replies
Legendary Member
Posts: 809
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:10 pm
Thanked: 50 times
Followed by:4 members

The physical structure

by akhpad » Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:28 pm
Anders: The physical structure of the brain plays an important role in thinking. So researchers developing "thinking machines"-computers that can make decisions based on both common sense and factual knowledge-should closely
model those machines on the structure of the brain.

Yang: Important does not mean essential. After all, no flying machine closely modeled on birds has worked; workable aircraft are structurally very different from birds. So thinking machines closely modeled on the brain are also likely to
fail. In developing a workable thinking machine, researchers would therefore increase their chances of success if they focus on the brain's function and simply ignore its physical structure.

In evaluating Yang's argument it would be most helpful to know whether

(A) studies of the physical structure of birds provided information crucial to the development of workable aircraft
(B) researchers currently working on thinking machines take all thinking to involve both common sense and factual knowledge
(C) as much time has been spent trying to develop a workable thinking machine as had been spent in developing the first workable aircraft
(D) researchers who specialize in the structure of the brain are among those who are trying to develop thinking machines
(E) some flying machines that were not closely modeled on birds failed to work

I confused over A and B.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:41 pm
Thanked: 33 times
Followed by:5 members

by pradeepkaushal9518 » Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:44 pm
imo A

as yang is saying to avoid simply physical structure is in correct while designing aircraft the bird structures is copied. thats
why aircrafts also have wings.

brain also have tow parts and different sections so for making thinking machine researchers also have to consider the physical part of brain. e.g where to store data and from where to retrieve and analyse.

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1893
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 11:48 pm
Thanked: 215 times
Followed by:7 members

by kvcpk » Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:41 pm
IMO A.

Gist of Yang's statement:

No flying machine closely modeled on birds has worked;
workable aircraft are structurally very different from birds.
So thinking machines closely modeled on the brain are also likely to fail.
In developing a workable thinking machine, researchers would therefore increase their chances of success if they focus on the brain's function and simply ignore its physical structure.

CDE are not even close.

Let us look at B first:
(B) researchers currently working on thinking machines take all thinking to involve both common sense and factual knowledge

This statement relates more to Anders words, than to Yang's words. in Anders' statement, the definition of thinking machine is made clear. Option B is just the paraphrasing of it.
"So researchers developing “thinking machines�-computers that can make decisions based on both common sense and factual knowledge-"

So there is nothing to evauluate at this point.

(A) studies of the physical structure of birds provided information crucial to the development of workable aircraft

Option A is relating itself to the bolded part above. Yang says-physical structure needs to be ignored completely. It would be helpful to evaluate if the study of physical structure of birds has helped in the design of workable aircrafts. So that it can relate to study of physical structur eof Brain.

Hope this helps!!

Praveen

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:41 pm
Thanked: 33 times
Followed by:5 members

by pradeepkaushal9518 » Thu Jul 08, 2010 2:22 am
I DONT KNOW TO WHOM KVCPK CALLING "PRAVEEN"

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1893
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 11:48 pm
Thanked: 215 times
Followed by:7 members

by kvcpk » Thu Jul 08, 2010 2:46 am
pradeepkaushal9518 wrote:I DONT KNOW TO WHOM KVCPK CALLING "PRAVEEN"
Didnt get you buddy!!

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:41 pm
Thanked: 33 times
Followed by:5 members

by pradeepkaushal9518 » Thu Jul 08, 2010 2:55 am
ohhh so your name is praveen i thought u r calling akhilesh as praveen

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1261
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:46 am
Thanked: 27 times
GMAT Score:570

by reply2spg » Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:07 pm
Pradeep, you are so much into critical reasoning that you are seeing name also critically....LOL!!!!! :)
pradeepkaushal9518 wrote:ohhh so your name is praveen i thought u r calling akhilesh as praveen
Sudhanshu
(have lot of things to learn from all of you)