Wisdom doesn’t arrive to us by chance. It is a byproduct of curiosity. ~Shakespeare
My first thought was, “what am I not curious about?” Yes, I can make a list on both sides. My curiosity runs along a general theme, why do people behave the way they do? As a species, our cultures vary widely from Australian Aborigines to Corporate Conglomerates. Human behavior varies from the sublime to the mundane. Why?
As a child, I took piano lessons and eventually studied music education in college. I quickly realized a lack of career opportunities in my creative endeavors and switched to computer science. Life got in the way and when I eventually got back to college, received a BA and MA in Anthropology in the 1990’s. Yes, Anthropology was another of those endeavors where the career opportunities bordered on thin to none. Yet, I seemed to land in a corporation that developed software and eventually became a data engineer, working in Information Technology (IT) for a few decades.
As I see retirement looming in my future, I’m envious of the young developers in universities who get to study about the blend of computer science and human behavior, Artificial Intelligence (AI). Star Trek: The Next Generation addressed the use of AI. The Science Officer on the Enterprise, Data, is an advanced form of AI, an android. The series addresses the question of when does AI become human? What does it mean to be human? How do humans make decisions vs computers?
In the episode, The Quality of Life (S6.E9), The Enterprise crew surveys a new mining development. The visiting expert, Dr. Farallon, invented an experimental mining AI, Exocomps. Data works with the Exocomps and believes they are sentient. While the away team is on the planet, a malfunction puts the team’s lives in jeopardy. The team is beamed back on board except for the Captain Pikard and Jordi. Riker and the Dr. Farallon plan to use the Exocomps to beam them back, but the method programmed would destroy the units; therefore, they turn off the unit’s ability for self preservation. Data locks the transporter so the machines cannot be used. He only agrees to unlock it when the Exocomps are given a choice to go.
The Exocomps choose to go, but they alter the method. The Exocomps devise a method that saves all but one Exocomp. One chose to stay behind keeping the beam open and sacrificed itself so all may survive.
How many humans would make the most human decision?
Amazing post
Thank you
Nice post, Joni, and I like the video clip. Patrick Stewart plays a good role as Captain Picard.
Yes. I like Picard’s leadership style. He’s a mixture of scholar and warrior, diplomat and rogue.
Yes, you are so right about that.
So what is ‘human’? Humanity is a life form and life forms are continually evolving. We transplant animal parts into humans and human parts into other humans and even manufactured parts into humans. So I ask again what is human?
I see “wisdom and curiosity” like the chicken and the egg, does it really matter which came first?
Interesting. Exactly the questions addressed in STNG.