Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment to Calculation
Computer Power and Human Reason is a distinguished computer scientist's elucidation of the impact of scientific rationality on man's self-image.
Paperback, 300 pages
Published
March 1st 1976
by W.H. Freeman & Company
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
132)
This was a book I really wanted to read after having heard much about it and, of course, played with ELIZA and 'her' successors (and produced my own paltry successor). I'm glad I made the effort to track it down.
I really relate to Weizenbaum as a writer, because there are two clear sides to the way he approaches his topic. He starts by talking science in what is a quite accessible but no less technical manner. He quickly shows himself to be a person who, more than merely knowing the theories and...more
I really relate to Weizenbaum as a writer, because there are two clear sides to the way he approaches his topic. He starts by talking science in what is a quite accessible but no less technical manner. He quickly shows himself to be a person who, more than merely knowing the theories and...more
In addition to walking down memory lane, reminiscing on my study of computer engineering, I enjoyed a technical, philosophical, as well as ethical treatment of artificial intelligence. I do like that Weizenbaum was willing to "just say no" to certain projects on a computer. And I truly felt his impassioned call toward personal responsibility in the last chapter.
The one thing that played out very differently than Weizenbaum predicted was speech recognition. He felt it would be too expensive and n...more
The one thing that played out very differently than Weizenbaum predicted was speech recognition. He felt it would be too expensive and n...more
Having practiced computer model building for a while, I have often been perplexed by the way managers respond to these decision support tools. This book helps reveal the motivations and beliefs of those who would, if they could, make all quantitative analysis automatic and disconnected from the process of thinking.
I have read this book twice and yet I think I still haven't completely grasped the point Weizenbaum is making about the the problems with the way computers execute their commands.
I have read this book twice and yet I think I still haven't completely grasped the point Weizenbaum is making about the the problems with the way computers execute their commands.
Nov 26, 2012
Alex Railean
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
ai,
computers,
brain,
education,
intelligence,
learning,
philosophy,
programming,
science,
society,
technology
I really enjoyed this one, it covers the problem from many aspects and the author places a great emphasis on the moral side of the issue too.
Besides that, if you're interested in understanding how computers work - this is a good choice. If you liked "Code" by Charles Petzold, you will find some of the first chapters of this book familiar.
Besides that, if you're interested in understanding how computers work - this is a good choice. If you liked "Code" by Charles Petzold, you will find some of the first chapters of this book familiar.
Still relevant and thought provoking.
Interesting anti-artificial intelligence argument from one of the pioneers of AI (he developed that program ELIZA which simulates a psychiatrist that parrots back your responses to you -- if you messed with you computers in the 80s you likely played some variant of it). Was suggested in Godel, Escher, Bach as a important counter viewpoint, which is how I ended up reading it.
Probably the most important book that I misunderstood in college.
May 15, 2013
Peejeedee
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Drezden
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2013
Talha
marked it as to-read
Apr 05, 2013
David Adams
marked it as to-read
Mar 29, 2013
Amanda
marked it as to-read
Mar 28, 2013
John Van Fossen
marked it as to-read
Feb 13, 2013
Kenn
added it
Feb 10, 2013
Jennifer Kanary nikolova
marked it as to-read
Feb 07, 2013
Sophie
marked it as to-read
Jan 31, 2013
Google
added it
Jan 23, 2013
Shobin Jindal
marked it as to-read
Jan 23, 2013
Navdeep Kaur
marked it as to-read
Jan 23, 2013
Rimaljit Kaur
marked it as to-read
Jan 19, 2013
Emilykolb
marked it as to-read
Jan 14, 2013
Yudie Thirzano
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Our time prides itself on having finally achieved the freedom from censorship for which libertarians in all ages have struggled...The credit for these great achievements is claimed by the new spirit of rationalism, a rationalism that, it is argued, has finally been able to tear from man's eyes the shrouds imposed by mystical thought, religion, and such powerful illusions as freedom and dignity. Science has given us this great victory over ignorance. But, on closer examination, this victory too can be seen as an Orwellian triumph of an even higher ignorance: what we have gained is a new conformism, which permits us to say anything that can be said in the functional languages of instrumental reason, but forbids us to allude to...the living truth...so we may discuss the very manufacture of life and its 'objective' manipulations, but we may not mention God, grace, or morality.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
On one hand, you have the nifty services that transcribe voicemail for us (Google Vo...more
Nov 26, 2012 05:27pm