After attending the 2017 Trenton Computer Fair, I had the inspiration of describing simulated smarts by way of example. The Dots Game is a pencil and paper game that I played with my Dad. I created a computer program based on the pencil and paper game. I would describe the program as utilizing simulated smarts. Why? I remember reading a book on BASIC programming that said a game programmer would necessarily become an expert in the game they were coding the computer to play. Before the coding begins, the programmer would develop algorithms.
...the most fundamental concept of computer science - that of an algorithm. Informally, an algorithm is a set of steps that defines how a task is performed1. For example, there are algorithms for constructing model airplanes (expressed in the form of instruction sheets)...
(Brookshear 2)
By encoding the algorithms that describe the best possible game play, a winning (or at least challenging) application could be created. I would state that simulated smarts are characterized by the absence of machine learning. Machine learning may be present in the design of IBM's Deep Blue computer and chess playing program.
This webpage was created with inspiration from the Trenton Computer Fair and IBM's Deep Blue webpage.
©2017 by Ronald Thomas Kubinski