This episode explores John McCarthy's 1959 paper, "Programs with Common Sense," which introduces the concept of an "advice taker" program capable of solving problems using logical reasoning and common sense knowledge.Key aspects include the need for programs that reason like humans, McCarthy's proposal for an advice taker that deduces solutions through formal language manipulation, and the importance of declarative sentences for flexibility and logic. The advice taker would use heuristics to select relevant premises and guide the deduction process, similar to how humans use both conscious and unconscious thought.
The episode also touches on the philosophical implications, challenges, and historical significance of McCarthy's vision, offering insights into the early ambitions of AI research and the quest for machines with true common sense.
http://logicprogramming.stanford.edu/readings/mccarthy.pdf