[gorjusborg]

Like the original Mechanical Turk.

Clearly there is a difference between a small person hidden within playing chess and a fully mechanical chess automaton, but as the observer we might not be able to tell the difference. The observer's perception of the facts doesn't change the actual facts, and the implications of those facts.

[mannykannot]

The Mechanical Turk, however, was not a simulation of human consciousness, reasoning, chess-playing or any other human ability: it was the real thing, somewhat artfully dressed-up as to appear otherwise.

Is it meaningful to say that Alphago Zero does not play Go, it just simulates something that does?