Eliza

Eliza Doolittle

Just loaded the Prolog implementation of the famous 'Eliza' from the Internet (here, heroically coded by Viren Patel back in 1992). Amazingly it runs without problems on my SWI-Prolog system. Here's a test dialogue .. just a moment ago.

Hello. I am ELIZA. How can I help you?
> I am sick.

I am sorry to hear you are sick.
> Ask me why I am sick

Do you think coming here will help you not to be sick?
> I'd like to think so.

I am not sure I understand you fully.
> Are you ever sick?

Why are you interested in whether I am ever sick or not?
> You interest me.

Why do you think I interest you?
> Because you're tantalising.

Is that the real reason?
> Yes, you interest me.

You seem quite positive.
> I am, very positive.

Is it because you are very positive that you came to me?
>

This is the point where the content-less nature of the dialogue begins to pall. Still, I think Eliza is fixable: insert a knowledge-base and reasoning system between the input and output processing and 'Eliza' suddenly becomes a lot less vacuous.

I feel digital immortality coming upon me by stealth ..