Can a machine know?

Question

Refer to the ways of knowing: reason, perception, emotion and language. Does a machine have all that? Remember it's machine and not computer!!!
Also, refer to the areas of knowledge: ethics, the arts (music, literature), the naturals sciences (physics, chemistry, biology), the social sciences (geography, psychology, sociology, history), mathematics.
Can a machine know the knowledge found in these areas.

Answer 1

A machine would require a computer to both know and use any knowledge. Without it, a machine would be like your toaster, which only does one thing and is just mechanics.

For advanced machines, I don't believe it is entirely possible for a machine to feel emotion at this time. Reason, perception and language are something that is in its range. Basically these things hinge on a set of rules, which we humans use to guide us everyday. Then ethics plays in, telling us whether it is good to follow these rules or not. Machines can do anything that is set upon a set of rules, which is basically everything.

The trouble arises trying to teach a machine these rules, how do you explain ethics? Most of us learn by doing and over the entire course of our lives. The true question is, can a machine ever feel? And if a machine can feel, is it alive or just mechanics?

Answer 2

some machines ARE computers, so i'll suppose computers are included in "machines".

In that case, my answer will be "not yet, but they're getting there".

"knowing" is still a caracteristic of biologics (humans, animals...). We will be able to use that term when computers/machines will have the ability to "believe" (should come in a few decades). untill then, they only have information : no knowledge.