Reading Guide: Judith S. Donath, "Being Real"

Explain what Donath means by the clause, ". . . but the very issue of the speaker's identity, generally taken for granted in the physical world, becomes a source of doubt and an item requiring its own adjudication of belief and justification."

In the conversation snippets with ELIZA and Hex, which seems more human to you? (Or do both seem quite un-human to you?) Can you describe what it is about those snippets that produces that impression in you?

If you're interested in learning more about Julia, check out this paper; it includes some technical details about her programming as well as some interesting stuff about the design principles that went into her.

Do you think that "extending" the Imitation Game to include video changes the nature of the game?

What does the Turing Test say to the problem of the existence of other minds?

You might also want to try conversing with one of the "chatterbots" listed here or here