Why is it outside the boundary of science? Certainly, we lack a complete scientific understanding of it now. But that's no reason to abandon the pursuit. It makes it all the more interesting. My point is that, if mere chemical reactions can some how produce sentience is us, why can't lines of code produce sentience…

What I'm saying is, how can you TELL if something is sentient?

I think you're missing the point, or perhaps I'm misunderstanding you.

The chat bots used for the Turing test are programmed to make occasional typos.

Well, the thing is I can't know if YOU are sentient. All I know is how you behave. And I then assume you're intellegent because you behave 'like a human.' If a computer behaves in a way indistinguishable from a human, don't we then have to make the same assumption about that computer?

Murray,

Yeah, I'd make the sex on her.

Those are valid points. I wonder how many people who can afford an internet connection listen to NPR.

Oh, and we can also look at China as a good example of government-run media outlets. That coin has two sides.

This made me laugh: "Democrats serve everyone, even the ones that didn't vote for them." I'm sure you didn't mean every Democrat, to a T, can be described as such. But the post, as written, is a bit of an overstatement…in both directions. I know some republicans who are genuine and committed public servants.

I don't think you should have to pay for many of those things you oppose either. And if you didn't, you could voluntarily give all that money to NPR.

Oh, didn't see that comment there, molly. Well written and well reasoned, though you're probably not surprised if I say I disagree.

Wow, why all the ad homenim stuff? So your point is that we desperately need to be able to listen to the news in our cars instead of reading it at work or at home?

Do public libraries really create an educated public? Especially now with the enormous amount of information available on the internet? Honestly, who uses libraries? It's a very specific subset of the population, and aside from the bums looking up porn, it's mostly people who are already quite well educated. Or…

RA, that is exactly how I hate PHC too.

@Dr. Pepper: I actually do like NPR.

Taxpayers is kind of right here, if a bit glib. (Like that subject-verb agreement there?) It's a bit nuts to steal money from people to pay for something that you like but don't want to pay for. You could always cancel your cable and send all that money to NPR. Is it more important to you than cable? If so,…

And, yes, molly that is how I'm using 'Public Good,' where 'good' there is in the sense of 'goods and services,' not 'good' as in 'not bad.'

I understand that, Evan. And I think it's a reasonable point. But that NPR's journalism is 'better' is just, like, your opinion, man (and mine too). When you're funding something with taxes, you're literally using force to get people to fork over cash for that thing.

Really, we need radio news? What good is it doing if people aren't listening to it? Can't you get every single piece of information that you get from NPR — and much much more — on the internet?