Can Computers Understand? Includes John Searle's arguments

syllogistic sumary of computer's abilities well done. Can Computers understand? 1) Thinking is the hallmark of understanding. 2) Only special machines can think. 3) If something can think it can understand. 4) Only special machines that can think can understand. 5) "Mental" states and their resulting actions are products of the center of activity (brain). 6) To understand, thoughts must be produced by the brain. 7) A computer's mental states and events are controlled by a program. 8) The program is not a …

…a belief for or against the ability of man to create another being capable of thought. I do not believe that any machine based creature we may ever create has the ability to think. Thought is something that is independently done and cannot be given to another, or more accurately, programmed in. Regardless of however many tests that may be passed simulating thought and understanding, a programmed being is not capable of thought and understanding.