I will argue that in the literal sense the programmed computer understands...
My car and my adding machine understand nothing: they are not in that line of...
We often attribute 'understanding' and other cognitive predicates by metaphor...
I can mention many moments that were unforgettable and revelatory. But the most single revelatory three minutes was the first time I put on scuba gear and dived on a coral reef. It's just the unbelievable fact that you can move in three dimensions.