In my early days of college, I had a professor with an unusual mission: to prove that eating turkey for Thanksgiving was wrong. She owned a pet turkey and aimed to convince each class that our minds had been shaped by 200 years of cultural indoctrination. Though she largely failed in her efforts, her class left a lasting impression on me. It wasn’t the anti-turkey message that stuck, but rather her method of teaching. She delved deeply into human reasoning, a topic that has always fascinated me. Through meticulous instruction, she introduced us to various logical principles, culminating in a remarkable demonstration of intelligence by her pet turkey. Her goal was to challenge our category-based induction about turkeys. She argued that just as we wouldn’t condone the senseless slaughter of millions of dogs, perceived as intelligent, we should reconsider our views on turkeys. She sought to prove that our assumptions about turkey stupidity were fundamentally flawed.
The Category-Based Induction Problem
The category-based induction problem was first introduced to us through a discussion of David Hume’s writings. Hume, a Scottish philosopher from the 1700s, was quite radical for his time and has become one of the most influential figures in classical Western philosophy. One of his more famous works questioned the often relied upon inductive reasoning that humans use. This is the scientific process of deriving general principles from specific observations. Hume made a compelling argument that there is no rational basis for making inferences about phenomena from a few observed details. His challenge was not only to the scientific community but also to religious doctrines, prompting theorists to spend centuries grappling with this problem.
The Turkey’s Predictable Routine
My college professor illustrated the challenge of inductive reasoning through the perspective of a turkey. Each morning, the turkey wakes up to a high-protein, high-fat meal that is both tasty and plentiful. Its life is one of ease, relative comfort, and safety. With each sunrise, the turkey’s existence continues in this predictable, blissful routine. Naturally, the turkey would conclude that every day will follow this same pattern. However, this assumption proves fatally flawed on the fourth Thursday of November. This exaggerated example highlights the core issue with inductive reasoning: not every day will be the same. This concept applies broadly to all we take for granted. We often make assumptions based on past experiences, growing comfortable with what Hume identified as an inherently flawed method of reasoning.
Advancements in Psychology and Technology
This has been the state of psychology for centuries, until the last decade brought significant change. The once quiet fields of mathematical psychology and computer science have now collided. We now use software designed to make the same category-based inductions that humans have always relied on as a key advantage. Consider how often we make these inductions: we automatically assume that if one thing exhibits certain properties and behaviors, another thing in the same category will do the same. This assumption, as our poor turkeys learn every year, is not always true. However, it is mostly true, and humans have grown comfortable dwelling in this gray area of “close enough” reasoning. Now, we watch in amazement as software developed by humans exhibits this same capability, making judgments with “reasonable accuracy.”
Human Cognition vs. Artificial Intelligence
Some lament this as a potential replacement for humans or a challenge to our dominance in the realm of imperfect cognition. However, I see it from a different perspective. This is just one capability of the organic human brain. Consider that this capability developed organically, grown through mitosis, meiosis, and a lifetime of cell division. This natural process somehow leads to the formation of human consciousness. Inductive reasoning is just one small aspect of human cognitive ability. Although the machines we develop will undoubtedly surpass us in some areas, isn’t it incredible how marvelously imperfect the organic human mind is?
I think I’ll chew on that thought a little more over a turkey sandwich.
