Few scientific topics since the theory of biological evolution have inspired as much controversy as artificial intelligence has. Even now, fifty years after the term first made its appearance in academic journals, many philosophers and more than a few prominent scientists and software programmers dismiss the pursuit of thinking machines as the modern-day equivalent of medieval alchemists' hunt for the philosopher's stone-a pursuit based more on faith than on skeptical inquiry.
In Arguing A.I., journalist Sam Williams charts both the history of artificial intelligence from its...