Can statistical systems ever be intelligent?

Introduction

These are notes on my chat with my Advisor on this topic. In this conversation, I’ll use S for me and A for my advisor. I’ll divide the main part of the debate/discussion into major points that came up and our thoughts about them. I will add some thoughts in square brackets [], which are my thought and were not part of the discussion.

Premise

Debate/Discussion Notes:

My Conclusions:

Further Readings:

After the discussion, I also tried to look up some sources to make sure that I was not just supporting outdated notions. So, here are some reading materials: