Nick -
Attempting to respond to the "algorithmic" subtopic:
I have felt from an early age (before I knew the term algorithm) that
the socio-political-religious-economic systems we all operate within are
algorithmic. I am prone to define "fascism" as any such systems which
go over some magical threshold from trying to follow the part of their
charter which is to serve some end outside of the system to caring
primarily (or exclusively) about self-perpetuation (coherence,
robustness and growth).
With that in mind, the US highway/transportation system from the
Interstate Highway system down to semi-maintained former logging roads,
the vehicles traveling over them, the rules governing them, and the
people operating those vehicles and pursuing other ends/interests
through the engagement of the system represent a large, complex
"computation" of sorts. As self-driving vehicles are displaced by
variations on self-riving vehicles, the similarity will approach identity.
I agree with Dave's general distinction between "algorithm" and
"algorithmic context", though it would seem that nominally "algorithmic
context" is maintained (if not established as well) by another level of
"algorithms" (e.g. Maritime/Mechanical/Civil Engineering principles, etc.)
- Steve
On 1/15/19 10:13 AM, Prof David West wrote:
Nick wrote:
"Computers are the conscripted sailors of our generation."
I would say that "computer users are the conscripted sailors.
Computers, computing, software: all are algorithmic, creating an
"algorithmic context" (Navy) within which human users (Sailors) are
constrained to act.
Like human sailors in the Navy, human users acting in this algorithmic
context can only go wrong if they attempt to utilize their "native
intelligence."
Moreover, this state of affairs is pretty much intentional (albeit
sometimes below the threshold of awareness). In the algorithmic world,
humans are nothing except sources of error. Even those developing the
software are assumed to be (the vast majority anyway) incompetent and
must be constrained by rigid and detailed methodology.
SkyNet has won and we are but its minions.
davew
On Mon, Jan 14, 2019, at 9:53 PM, Nick Thompson wrote:
, I imagine, are old enough to remember this:
*/“The Navy is a master plan designed by geniuses for execution by
idiots. If you are not an idiot, but find yourself in the Navy, you
can only operate well by pretending to be one. All the shortcuts and
economies and common-sense changes that your native intelligence
suggests to you are mistakes. Learn to quash them. Constantly ask
yourself, "How would I do this if I were a fool?" Throttle down your
mind to a crawl. Then you will never go wrong.” /*
― Herman Wouk, The Caine Mutiny
<https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1059565>
It seems right that the computer was invented by a democratic society
after the largest successful naval campaign in the history of the
universe. The navy was a giant algorithm. Computers are the
conscripted sailors of our generation.
Nick
Nicholas S. Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology
Clark University
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/
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