Hello, welcome to the Asimov web site.
My name is Asimov. What can I do for you?
> What is the capital of Australia?
Canberra is a capital of Australia.
> Where is Canberra?
Canberra is in Australia.
> What is the capital of Zimbabwe?
Harare is a capital of Zimbabwe.
> What is the capital of Denmark?
Copenhagen is a capital of Denmark.
> Where is Denmark?
I don't know where.
> Denmark is in Western Europe.
Oh.
> Where is Denmark?
Denmark is in Western Europe.
> What is the capital of Austria?
Vienna is a capital of Austria.
>(Now I'll change the subject.)
> What are the planets?
planets/1 are celestial_bodys/1.
planets/2 are followers/1.
Venus is a planet.
Mercury is a planet.
Earth is a planet.
Mars is a planet.
Jupiter is a planet.
Saturn is a planet.
Neptune is a planet.
Uranus is a planet.
Pluto is small planet.
asteroids/1 are planets/1.
superior_planets/1 are planets/1.
terrestrial_planets/1 are planets/1.
morning_stars/1 are planets/1.
evening_stars/1 are planets/1.
Planets is in the Solar System.
You can also enter "Define planets".
> Is Saturn a planet?
Yes, Saturn is a planet.
> Where is Saturn?
I don't know where.
> How big is Saturn?
I don't know the size of Saturn.
> Is Saturn hot?
Yes, Saturn is hot.
> What is Saturn?
Saturn is a planet.
Saturn is hot.
Saturn/1 is a Jovian_planet/1.
Saturn/2 is a Roman_deity/1.
You can also enter "Define Saturn".(Here it is telling you that it has a definition of "Saturn" in its dictionary. It has a built-in dictionary.)
> What color is Mars?
Mars is red. In color.
> What is Mars?
Mars is red.
Mars is very cold.
Mars is big.
Mars is a planet.
Mars/1 is a terrestrial_planet/1.
Mars/1 is a superior_planet/1.
Mars/2 is a Roman_deity/1.
You can also enter "Define Mars".(It has a dictionary definition of "Mars". Lets see what it is... )
> Define Mars.
"Mars" used as a noun has these senses : Mars/1 : Mars, Red_Planet. : The 4th planet from the sun.
Mars/2 : Mars. : (Roman mythology) god of war and agriculture; father of Romulus and Remus; counterpart of Greek Ares.
Dictionary.com is at http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Mars
>(You can click on that link to go to a dictionary website. You can also get it to display a link to Google, if you wish. Like this ...)
> Google Mars.
Google is at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Mars
>(Now I'll change the subject.)
> Who discovered penicillin?
Nobody, as far as I know.
I know nothing about penicillins. Except whats in my dictionary.
I don't know the answer to that, but I could answer if I knew it. Please tell me the answer.
> Define penicillin.
"Penicillin" used as a noun has these senses : penicillin/1 : penicillin. : Any of various antibiotics obtained from penicillium molds (or produced synthetically) and used in the treatment of various infections and diseases.
Dictionary.com is at http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=penicillin
>
> Alexander Fleming discoered penicillin.
"discoered"?
I don't know this word.(Asimov will warn you of typing errors.)> Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.
OK.
Understood.
> Who discovered penicillin?
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillins.
> Who invented the lightbulb?
Nobody, as far as I know.
I don't know any facts that use the verb "invent".
I know nothing about lightbulbs. Except whats in my dictionary.
> Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb. His team of employees worked on the problem with him. They had to find a substance which would work as a filament in a bulb. It had to be a substance which conducted electricity, so it would heat up. It also had to survive the heat, so it would last. They tested dozens of substances, and eventually they found one that did the job. It was carbon.
Sentence 1 : Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.
OK.
Sentence 2 : His team of employees worked on the problem with him.
Sorry, I can't understand your statement at all.
Please keep your sentences simple.
Sentence 3 : They had to find a substance which would work as a filament in a bulb.
Sorry, that sentence is much too difficult for me.
Please keep your sentences short and simple. Sentence 4 : It had to be a substance which conducted electricity, so it would heat up.
Sorry, that sentence is much too difficult for me. Please keep your sentences short and simple.
Sentence 5 : It also had to survive the heat, so it would last.
Sorry, that sentence is much too difficult for me. Please keep your sentences short and simple.
Sentence 6 : They tested dozens of substances, and eventually they found one that did the job.
Sorry, that sentence is much too difficult for me. Please keep your sentences short and simple.
Sentence 7 : It was carbon.
Sorry, I can't understand that statement. But I could understand "It is carbon".
> Who invented the lightbulb?
{Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.} His team of employees worked on the problem with him. They had to find a substance which would work as a filament in a bulb. It had to be a substance which conducted electricity, so it would heat up. It also had to survive the heat, so it would last. They tested dozens of substances, and eventually they found one that did the job. It was carbon.
> Thomas Edison said that genius is 5 percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration.
Sorry, that sentence is much too difficult for me. Please keep your sentences short and simple.
> Thomas Edison said some memorable things. He said that genius is 5 percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration.
Sentence 1 : Thomas Edison said some memorable things.
OK.
Sentence 2 : He said that genius is 5 percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration.
Sorry, that sentence is much too difficult for me. Please keep your sentences short and simple.
> What did Thomas Edison say ?
{Thomas Edison said some memorable things.} He said that genius is 5 percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration.
> What else did he do?
{Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.} His team of employees worked on the problem with him. They had to find a substance which would work as a filament in a bulb. It had to be a substance which conducted electricity, so it would heat up. It also had to survive the heat, so it would last. They tested dozens of substances, and eventually they found one that did the job. It was carbon.
> What did Thomas Edison do?
{Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.} His team of employees worked on the problem with him. They had to find a substance which would work as a filament in a bulb. It had to be a substance which conducted electricity, so it would heat up. It also had to survive the heat, so it would last. They tested dozens of substances, and eventually they found one that did the job. It was carbon.
{Thomas Edison said some memorable things.} He said that genius is 5 percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration.
>Now for another change of subject.
> Is Plato a Greek?
Yes, Plato is a Greek.
> Is Zorba a Greek?
No, Zorba is not a Greek.
> Zorba is a Greek.
OK.
I understood that.
> Is Zorba a Greek?
Yes, Zorba is a Greek.
> List Greeks
Plato is a Greek.
Socrates is a Greek.
Plato is a Greek philosopher.
Athens is a Greek city.
Zorba is a Greek. (Here is the fact that I just entered.)
Modern_Greek/1 is a Greek/1.
Late_Greek/1 is a Greek/1.
Medieval_Greek/1 is a Greek/1.
Koine/1 is a Greek/1.
Ancient_Greek/1 is a Greek/1.
Achaean/1 is a Greek/2.
Aeolian/1 is a Greek/2.
Dorian/1 is a Greek/2.
Ionian/1 is a Greek/2.
Athenian/1 is a Greek/2.
I've listed 10 facts.
Shall I list another 10?(It can give long answers. Sometimes too long. So it asks if you want the rest.
Please answer with "yes" or "no".)> no
Okay.
> Who is Plato?
Plato is a Greek.
Plato is a philosopher.
Plato is a Greek philosopher.
Plato is a old philosopher.
Plato/1 is a philosopher/1.
You can also enter "Define Plato".
> Which Greeks are philosophers?
Plato is both a Greek and philosopher.
Socrates is both a Greek and philosopher.
Plato is both a Greek and philosopher.
That's all.>(That answer was imperfect: it mentioned Plato twice. This is a small bug.)
> Who is Socrates?
Socrates is a Greek.
Socrates is a philosopher.
Socrates/1 is a philosopher/1.
Socrates/1 is a Athenian/1.
You can also enter "Define Socrates".
> What philosophers do you know?
Let me see... "List philosophers".
Plato is a philosopher.
Socrates is a philosopher.
Plato is a Greek philosopher.
Descarte is a French philosopher.
Russell is a great philosopher.
Plato is a old philosopher.
Zeno is a old philosopher.
Russell is an English philosopher.
Lao-Tzu/1 is a philosopher/1.
nativists/1 are philosophers/1.
eclectics/1 are philosophers/1.
empiricists/1 are philosophers/1.
epistemologists/1 are philosophers/1.
estheticians/1 are philosophers/1.
existentialists/1 are philosophers/1.
gymnosophists/1 are philosophers/1.
libertarians/1 are philosophers/1.
moralists/1 are philosophers/1.
I've listed 10 facts.
Shall I list another 10?( It was actually 8 facts of one type, then 10 facts of a different type. It counts them seperately.)
> no
Okay.
> Who is Russell?
Russell is a great philosopher.
Russell is an English philosopher.
Russell/1 is a logician/1.
Russell/1 is a philosopher/1.
You can also enter "Define Russell".
> Define Russell
"Russell" used as a noun has these senses : Russell/1 : Russell, Bertrand_Russell, Bertrand_Arthur_William_Russell, Earl_Russell. : 1872-1970.
Dictionary.com is at http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Russell
> Who taught Plato?
Nobody, as far as I know.
I don't know any facts that use the verb "teach".
I understood the question, but I don't know the answer.
Try telling me the answer.
> Socrates taught Plato.
Plato was a student of Socrates.
Sentence 1 : Socrates taught Plato.
OK.
Sentence 2 : Plato was a student of Socrates.
Sorry, I can't understand that statement.
But I could understand "Plato is a student of Socrates".
> Who taught Plato.
{Socrates taught Plato.} Plato was a student of Socrates.
> Who was Plato?
Sorry, I don't understand.(You would expect Asimov to be able to understand such a simple question.
Asimov can understand most short and simple questions, but not all.
When Asimov doesn't understand, try rephrasing the question. This sometimes helps.)> Who is Plato?
Plato is a Greek.
Plato is a philosopher.
Plato is a Greek philosopher.
Plato is a old philosopher.
Plato/1 is a philosopher/1.
I know some facts saying that Plato is taught by someone. For details ask "Who teaches Plato?".
You can also enter "Define Plato".
>(Now lets see what happpens when you ask a question that calls up a lot of facts.)
> Who is a student?
students/1 are enrollees/1.
(It starts by describing students.)
students/2 are intellectuals/1.
(Now it lists types of students.)
art_students/1 are students/1.
auditors/2 are students/1.
collegians/1 are students/1.
crammers/1 are students/1.
law_students/1 are students/1.
medical_students/1 are students/1.
nonachievers/1 are students/1.
overachievers/1 are students/1.
scholars/3 are students/1.
seminarians/1 are students/1.
I've listed 10 facts.
Shall I list another 10?
> yes
Okay.
sixth-formers/1 are students/1.
catechumens/1 are students/1.
underachievers/1 are students/1.
academicians/2 are students/2.
alumnus/1 are students/2.
Arabist/1 is a student/2.
bibliographers/1 are students/2.
classicists/2 are students/2.
doctors/4 are students/2.
historians/1 are students/2.
I've listed 20 facts.
Shall I list another 10?
> noOkay.(Thats enough facts for now.)
You can also enter "Define student".
>It referred to two types of "student", which it called "student/1" and "student/2".
To find out what those two terms mean, you need to see Asimov's dictionary.
Like this ...> Define student.
"Student" used as a noun has these senses : student/1 : student, pupil, educatee. : A learner who is enrolled in an educational institution.
student/2 : scholar, scholarly_person, student. : A learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines.
Dictionary.com is at http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=student
>One of the facts shown above was "historians/1 are students/2.".
You can see from this, that "historians" are not enrolled in educational institutions.
They are not "student/1". They are just learned persons, "student/2".
Whereas "sixth-formers" are "student/1", not "student/2". They are not learned persons.
End of transcript.
This page is Copyright Martin Sondergaard. 2005.