In many cases it is a matter for decision and not a simple matter of fact whether x understands y; and so on.

I will argue that in the literal sense the programmed computer understands what the car and the adding machine understand, namely, exactly nothing.

My car and my adding machine understand nothing: they are not in that line of business.

I want to block some common misunderstandings about 'understanding': In many of these discussions one finds a lot of fancy footwork about the word 'understandi…