Last night my thoughts focused on creation. Think about the things we create. Several ideas came to mind. Computers, games...particularly card games, robotics and a few others. When we as humans carry out tasks or play games we use logic, trial and error and intuition. Consider playIng solitaire say the Klondike game. Let's think About the one where you turn the pile one card at a time and can go through it as many times as you wish. When we suffle the deck, is the deck random? How many possible variations are there? Do you know the answer? Is it necessary to know the answer to play the game?...to build a computer program to play the game?
When we play this game we don't know the identity and location of any of the cards in the pile. When the computer plays the game it has to know.
When we see a possible play we may make a decision based on logic or intuition of whether or not to make the play we see. We might even miss seeing some possible plays. The computer on the other hand has to know all the plays before the game starts. The computer cannot miss a play. And, the computer has already completed all the trial and error analysis before the game starts. Why is this true? Because of the program rules. Someone has to program the computer. Question is who if anyone programs us? How do we learn to play the game?
Is life like a game? Can a computer live life completely? Who would program it? Can the computer learn new rules by trial and error? Do you see how the operating principles of a computer are different from the operating principles of a human? Do you think a computer can be designed to drive a car successfully. Have you ever been mis-led by a GPS? How did you correct the problem?
For more insight into this subject read "The Glass Cage" by Nicholas Carr.
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