The original question, 'Can machines think?' I believe to be too meaningless to deserve discussion.

Science is a differential equation. Religion is a boundary condition.

A man provided with paper, pencil, and rubber, and subject to strict discipline, is in effect a universal machine.

A computer would deserve to be called intelligent if it could deceive a human into believing that it was human.

Unless in communicating with it one says exactly what one means, trouble is bound to result.

Programming is a skill best acquired by practice and example rather than from books.

No, I'm not interested in developing a powerful brain. All I'm after is just a mediocre brain, something like the President of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.