Blog Post #8 - Eliza the Computer Therapist

I do not think Eliza is like a human.  She asked too many questions that a human would already know the answer to including.  She also kept repeating phrases like, "tell me more," "elucidate your thoughts," or "what do you mean by..."  She would seem more human-like if her phrases varied more so she was not continuously repeating the same things and responding in a varied fashion.  Computer therapists can not show emotions or see the emotions a person is feeling.  The same way there are so many controversies over what should be said in person or over a text, written words don't show the emotion a person is conveying.  Someone may be talking apologetically, while someone else could be saying the same exact sentence in a sarcastic tone.  Since computers can't portray emotions, they can not respond with empathy, which may be important to show.  Computer technology has been largely improved since even the past five years, so maybe it is possible the future with have computers that show emotions.  However, as of right now, computers are not going to be a helpful replacement for personal human interactions.