The question "Can a machine counsel" asks not if a machine can imitate the behavior of counselors, but rather if an identity of goals can be achieved between machine and counselor. If the goal of counseling is the discovering and internalizing of problem-solving processes, is it possible to create ".....a machine environment such than an individual within this environment can be said to have been counseled?" The authors respond with an example of such an environment--the Information System for Vocational Decisions Project (ISVD). ISVD is a working model of a computer-based information system that could become part of the vocational and educational guidance efforts of schools, employment agencies and industry. The goal is to present career data which the individual must transform into usable information. By so doing, he develops decision making abilities important to career choice. The authors admit that although the ISVD is not an ideal response to the original question, it offers a fresh look at counseling goals and how machines, with identical goals, can enter the counseling process. (LS)