The Oxford TSA thread - 2015 applicants - 5th Nov 2014

Yeah that's odd. Was it a past paper or one from a practise book? I've found the latter occasionally have errors.

Yeah that's odd. Was it a past paper or one from a practise book? I've found the latter occasionally have errors.

The practice book I have also has some mistakes and some of the questions are not as clear as the actual TSA questions.

Quick question:
I thought it was E, but why is it D?? Is it because it should be at least 4.5 m tall

Quick question:
I thought it was E, but why is it D?? Is it because it should be at least 4.5 m tall

Is anyone on here willing to offer some constructive criticism on my essay? It's one of my first, so I'm not quite sure if what I'm doing is along the right lines or not! Any pointers on grammar/writing style/structure would also be appreciated

"Could a robot ever think like a human?" - TSA 2012

One could argue that the irrationality which riddles the human thought process is a characteristic unique to human thought. However, there have been attempts at modelling this human irrationality within computer programmes, in order to advance developments in behavioural game theory. The large extent to which the computers emulate this irrationality accurately could be used to argue that robots too can think irrationally, just like humans. There is a flaw in this argument. The modelling of this irrationality in computer programmes is entirely dependant on correction factors: numbers that indicate how often the computer should deviate from the rational 'rules' which have been laid out for it. These correction factors do not convincingly create irrationality; even though they may emulate results similar to those obtained from irrational human thought, the fact that these factors themselves set up rules for how the computer is meant to think entirely contradicts the concept of irrationality.

Furthermore, the human thought process is often influenced by emotions. Therefore, to question whether a robot could ever think like a human is to question whether a robot could ever experience emotion. Following substantial research within psychology into emotion, it has been concluded that emotion is a result of a combination of social constructs and biological changes. Since a robot could never experience either of these, one could conclude that a robot can never experience emotion and consequently never think like a human.

However, some may argue that it is in fact impossible to pinpoint a specific way in which all human beings think. Therefore, the more useful questions to ask when considering whether a robot could every think like a human are those which discuss whether a robot could ever emulate the power of the human brain. Computers have already been developed to emulate the brain power of several brain cells, and due to the large technological advances we are sure to make in the future, it could be extrapolated that one day we will be able to create a computer that is as powerful as a human brain. Therefore, one day robots will be able to think 'like a human' as they will possess control over similar levels of 'brain power' which they can use in any way they choose to create thought, just like a human being does presently.

Thus it could be possible for a robot to think like a human, depending on how we approach the definition of human thought. If our definition relies wholly on the brain power that generates thought, then it is possible that one day a robot will possess the same intellectual capacity as a human and so have access to just as many different possible methods of thought as a human. However, if we define human thought through factors that influence it, such as irrationality and emotion, then we quickly come to the conclusion that robots will never be able to think as humans do, as they cannot be influenced by the same defining factors.

A 1.6m tree covers a 7m tall bungalow that is 30m away.

Another building next to the bungalow is 20m tall, this is roughly 3 times the height of the 7m tall bungalow (7x3=21). So you simply multiply 1.6 by 3, which comes to 4.8. So the answer is D Hornbeam.

Is there a way to work out your actual score from your raw marks when you do past papers?

Does anyone else think that the TSA 2013 paper is the hardest of them all?

This thread has made me so nervous.My scores have been: 62.9, 65.9, 66.5, 63.9 and 37/50 in the specimen paper. Should I be aiming higher for PPE