What he’s saying is: submarines traverse water, so it’s irrelevant whether we call what they do “swimming”. Likewise, if a machine can do the things that a thinking being can do, then it’s irrelevant whether it’s “actually” “thinking”.
He refers to this as a settled question in the origin of the quote. Moreover, he capitalizes the terms in question, indicating he perceives the concept as an incorrect reification.
I disagree.
What he’s saying is: submarines traverse water, so it’s irrelevant whether we call what they do “swimming”. Likewise, if a machine can do the things that a thinking being can do, then it’s irrelevant whether it’s “actually” “thinking”.
He refers to this as a settled question in the origin of the quote. Moreover, he capitalizes the terms in question, indicating he perceives the concept as an incorrect reification.