What exactly is artificial intelligence? The Mind and Machine Module Web site at www.phy.syr.edu/courses/modules/MM/index.html begins to answer this question by asking another: "To what extent can we ever expect to be able to create a machine which is 'truly' intelligent?" Sometimes the Turing test is used to define artificial intelligence. You can learn more about Turing and the Turing Test at The Alan Turing Home Page, www.turing.org.uk/turing. Be sure to read about the Loebner Prize, a modern version of the Turing Test, at www.dcs.shef.ac.uk/~u6rs/turing/loebnerprize.html. You can find the Loebner Prize home page at www.loebner.net/Prizef/loebner-prize.html. Marvin Minsky proposes that common sense is an essential component of intelligence; you can learn more about his ideas at www.ai.mit.edu/people/
minsky/minsky.html. Rosalind W. Picard argues that emotional abilities are a critical component of intelligent behavior. You can learn more about her work at vismod.www.media.mit.edu/~roz. AI on the Web at www.cs.berkeley.edu/~russell/ai.html has of links to Web resources that will help you explore this field. How did we get from punched cards to thinking about computers with emotional abilities? The Machine That Changed the World at ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/TMTCTW.html can help you understand. Mind Matters by James P. Hogan (Del Ray, 1997) also provides an entertaining introduction to the world of artificial intelligence.