One of the most important frontiers being explored by today’s scientists is that of artificial intelligence--that is, teaching computers to think like humans. In fact, there are many reputable scientists who believe that by the middle of this century computers will be able to think more efficiently and effectively than human beings. At that point the sci-fi horror movies of robots taking over the planet will have some credibility.

But there are skeptics. The great computing science pioneer Alan Turing--about whom last year’s movie The Imitation Game was based--once said that he would call a machine “intelligent” when it was able to have a credible conversation with a human being. Of course, Turing didn’t even imagine that one day we would have Siri, the voice in Apple iPhones and iPads.…