HAL, frm 2001: A Space Odyssey

Let me quote the following piece of conversation b/w HAL and Dave Bowman
Dave Bowman : Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL : I`m sorry Dave, I`m afraid I can`t do that.

Simple. But do u know the amount of processing that HAL would have to go through to pass that kind of response. consider this

• Firstly HAL, must be capable of analyzing an incoming audio signal and recover from it the exact sequence of words Dave used to produce that signal. not only does that invollve heavy signal processing but also requires knowledge about phonetics and phonology, which can help model how words are pronounced in colloquial speech.
• Also note that HAL is capable of producing words like I`m and cant`t which requires knowledge of the morphology of the language which is the study and structure of form of words in language or a language, including inflection, derivation, and the formation of compounds.
• To produce the right arrangement of words in the sentence HAL must underastand the syntax of the lannguage.
• Again to understand the menaing of the words used by Dave, HAL must understant the lexical semantics involved.
• Add to that the compositonal semantics of the language which would be used to understand the combined meaning of the words
• Next, instead of just declining(the pod doors cannot be opened) HAL chooses to be provide a polite response which would come under the pragmatics heading
• And last one woould also note that HAL is trying to engage in a structured conversation which would mean that HAL posseses knowledge about discourse conventions.

Isnt that enough???