Humans and machines

To many people, especially 'people' people, the subject of computer technology often seems somewhat dry or even anti-human.  But I think there is a side to computers that actually leads to a better understanding and appreciation of humans.  

The current issue of The Atlantic brought the subject back to mind with its main article on minds and machines by Brian Christian.  The article is actually titled "mind VS. machine" because of recent contests between the IBM computer called "Watson" and Jeopardy experts.  But the subject is an old favorite of mine.  

Think about it: tools, not just rocks for hammering and sticks for poking but pliers, ropes, edged objects like knives and swords, are the very stuff of human life.  Want to do something but you can't?  Simple!  Invent a tool that enables you to reach your goal.  Over time, we have gone a step further and invented machines, some that enable ground transport or water travel or flying through air or space.  We have also tried to invent machines that can tend to work we want done more or less on their own, without human intervention.  Thermostats are often given as examples on older discussions but today, monitors on smoking, carbon monoxide and other substances and events are commonplace.

The reason this subject is relevant to the education and training of people is that trying to invent machines that can do what we do and what we want done sometimes sheds very valuable light on us, on just what we can do, what we actually do and how we do it.  

Yes, maybe sometime in the future, computers will rise up in a war against humans.  But so far, I think we are doing pretty well.  Just comparing the spine of a human body with a machine can show what a marvel we are and how far we still have to go before our machines can match us.  Just compare the feelings and interchanges and results of a discussion between a group of lively, intelligent college students or senior citizens with machines of comparable ages and you will see that given lots of time and money, some machines can be built that can do or out-do us in particular endeavors but mostly, we are still pretty amazing.