Imitation game

In his 1950 Mind paper, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence”, Alan Turing first described what is now called the Turing Test. His version, which he called the Imitation Game, was somewhat more complicated than the modern version, inolving a man pretending to be a women being replaced by a computer pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman and seeing if a human judge could detect the switch. But the essence was the same: if a computer could carry on an intelligent conversation perhaps the most parsimonious explanation is that the computer is in fact intelligent.

In the paper, Turing attempted to address various objections people had raised to the idea of intelligent machines in the first half of the 20th century. One of these, which Turing dubbed “The Argument from Consciousness”, suggested that, “Not until a machine can write a sonnet or compose a concerto because of thoughts and emotions felt, and not by the chance fall of symbols, could we agree that machine equals brain—that is, not only write but know that it had written it. No mechanism could feel (and not merely artificially signal, an easy contrivance) pleasure at its successes”. In response Turing imagined a conversation more in the style of a modern Turing Test with a machine that went like this (where the “Witness” is the computer):

Turing goes on to say, “I do not know whether he would regard the machine as ‘merely artificially signalling’ these answers, but if the answers were as satisfactory and sustained as in the above passage I do not think he would describe it as ‘an easy contrivance’.”

I was reminded of this conversation by the book Common Sense, the Turing Test, and the Quest for Real AI by Hector J. Levesque. Professor Levesque, writing in 2017, quotes the convesation and says, “We are, of course, very far away from a computer program that can carry on a conversation like this.” Let’s see of ChatGPT does in 2023 with a similar conversation:

In the first line of a sonnet which reads "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day," would not "a spring day" do as well or better?

The choice of "a summer's day" in the opening line of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 is specific and intentional for several reasons, some of which might not be captured by "a spring day".

Firstly, in literature, the seasons often serve as metaphors for stages of life or states of being. Spring is often associated with birth, renewal, and new beginnings, while summer is typically associated with the peak of life, maturity, and full bloom. Thus, by comparing the beloved to a "summer's day", the speaker could be implying their prime, radiant beauty.

Secondly, in terms of pure sensory description, a summer's day - with its long daylight hours and intense brightness - might suggest a more robust, fully-realized beauty than a spring day, which can still carry some of the coolness and variability of late winter.

Finally, the phrase "summer's day" fits the meter of the line (iambic pentameter) perfectly. Changing "summer's" to "spring" would disrupt the rhythm of the line.

While "a spring day" might carry a sense of freshness and vitality, it might not convey the same intensity of beauty and perfection that "a summer's day" does in the context of this sonnet. Of course, this is all subjective, and a different poet might indeed prefer to use "a spring day" for their own reasons and associations.

How about "winter's day". That would fit just as well in iambic pentameter.

Indeed, "winter's day" fits the iambic pentameter just as well as "summer's day." However, the choice of season does not simply concern the meter of the line but also brings with it a range of connotations and symbolic meanings.

In literature, winter is often associated with death, ending, coldness, harshness, or dormancy. Thus, to compare someone to a "winter's day" might carry implications of beauty tinged with coldness or harshness, or perhaps an elegance that is beautiful but stark. It might suggest an age past the prime of life, or a beauty that carries with it a sense of ending or sorrow.

Using "winter's day" could be a powerful choice in a different kind of poem, where those are the themes or feelings you want to evoke. But in Sonnet 18, the speaker seems to be praising the beloved's warm, vibrant, life-affirming beauty – qualities more typically associated with summer than winter.

That said, there's a lot of room for interpretation and creativity in poetry, and you could certainly write a compelling sonnet that begins with "Shall I compare thee to a winter's day". It would just likely have a different tone and message than Shakespeare's original.

Would you say Mr. Pickwick reminded you of Christmas?

Samuel Pickwick, the central character of Charles Dickens' first novel, "The Pickwick Papers," indeed exudes many qualities that we associate with the Christmas spirit. He is kind-hearted, generous, jovial, and always ready to enjoy good food and companionship. He values friendship and goodwill towards others, principles that are at the heart of the Christmas season.

Further, Charles Dickens is widely associated with Christmas due to his renowned novella "A Christmas Carol". Through his works, he played a significant role in promoting the ideal of generosity, compassion, and goodwill, which are central to contemporary celebrations of the holiday.

So yes, it would not be unreasonable to draw parallels between the character of Mr. Pickwick and the spirit of Christmas. That said, it's worth noting that Mr. Pickwick is not directly linked to Christmas in the way that, for example, Ebenezer Scrooge is in "A Christmas Carol." But in terms of his personality and values, he certainly embodies many aspects of the holiday's spirit.

Yet Christmas is a winter's day, and I do not think Mr. Pickwick would mind the comparison.

Indeed, you're absolutely right. Although a "winter's day" often connotes coldness or harshness, it also brings to mind the warmth, generosity, and communal spirit of the holiday season, especially when associated with a character like Mr. Pickwick.

In this context, saying "Shall I compare thee to a winter's day?" could evoke a sense of coziness, good cheer, kindness, and conviviality—traits that align well with Mr. Pickwick's character.

Just like seasons, literary characters and symbols can have multifaceted meanings depending on the context. And indeed, Mr. Pickwick, with his embodiment of the generous spirit of Christmas—a winter holiday—could be seen as a warm and positive symbol despite the usual colder connotations of winter.

Your point illustrates well that poetry—and language in general—is richly flexible and context-dependent. The same phrase can evoke vastly different images and emotions depending on the associations and connotations we bring to it.