dismiss the notion...as?

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar, English As A Second Language
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Does "dismiss the notion of highly intelligent machines as mere science fiction" mean "dismiss the notion of highly intelligent machines because the notion thinks that highly intelligent machines are mere science fiction"?

Context:

As the Hollywood blockbuster Transcendence debuts this weekend with Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman and clashing visions for the future of humanity, it's tempting to dismiss the notion of highly intelligent machines as mere science fiction. But this would be a mistake, and potentially our worst mistake ever.

MOre:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-hawking/artificial-intelligence_b_5174265.html

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Type: Question • Score: 1 • Views: 983 • Replies: 8

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View best answer, chosen by oristarA

@oristarA,

Yea Ori I'd say so, and in fact I agree most wholeheartedly.
even today some conversational programs are so competent that many humanoid participants can't tell

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@oristarA,

"To dismiss the notion of highly intelligent machines as mere science fiction" means to consider the notion (idea) of highly intelligent machines to be science fiction and therefore never likely to become reality.

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@Tes yeux noirs,

Tes yeux noirs wrote:

"To dismiss the notion of highly intelligent machines as mere science fiction" means to consider the notion (idea) of highly intelligent machines to be science fiction and therefore never likely to become reality.

The article continues:

Quote:

Looking further ahead, there are no fundamental limits to what can be achieved: there is no physical law precluding particles from being organized in ways that perform even more advanced computations than the arrangements of particles in human brains.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-hawking/artificial-intelligence_b_5174265.html

That is why I posted the thread: the grammatical structure by the author is misleading..

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@oristarA,

Quote:

the grammatical structure by the author is misleading..

Not sure why you say this, Oris. The author is saying that:

Quote:

it's tempting to dismiss the notion

In this context he's saying it's "tempting," but it would be a mistake, to dismiss...

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@oristarA,

Quote:

the grammatical structure by the author is misleading..

I do not see anything misleading in the text quoted.

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@layman,

Quote:

In this context he's saying it's "tempting," but it would be a mistake, to dismiss...

I really shouldn't have said "in this context." In any context the choice of the word "tempting" means there are good reasons not to do the thing you're "tempted" to do. Otherwise, you would choose a more neutral word, like "I'm inclined," rather than "I'm tempted."

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Got it.
Thank you all.

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@oristarA,

Ori I was clearly 'way back there somewhere. Contiually amazed at the perspicacity of the esl

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dismiss the notion...as?

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