Bartholomew Barker…...‘The Ultimate Computer’….….BBC Pics. of Scotland….
by Bernie Bell - 10:18 on 13 January 2024
Bartholomew Barker…
Does it again….
From deep clouds the sea
falls to reconquer land
and wash away our pride
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‘The Ultimate Computer’….….
Thursday evening, I watched an episode of ‘Star Trek - The Original Series’ entitled ‘The Ultimate Computer’…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ET0v8QxIK0
The story is that the ‘Enterprise’ has been chosen to test a computer system whereby the whole ship could be run by about 20 people – and a computer.
Captain Kirk is sceptical, Dr McCoy is furious – understandably - as when a landing party is planned he and Capt. Kirk are excluded as the computer doesn’t consider them to be vital personnel!
This reminded me of something I’ve previously written about the need for doctors to be human…
https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/06/20/artificial-intelligence/
And Spock – Spock initially thinks it’s all marvellous and a wonderful opportunity to work with someone whose work he admires. But then, even Spock concedes that…. “Computers make excellent and efficient servants, but I would not wish to serve under them.”
The computer starts to ‘take over’ – think Hal in ‘2001 - A Space Odyssey’ – and Kirk manages to talk the computer out of what would amount to mass-murder. And so we look again at the idea of the need for human intuition, instinct, ‘feel’ for a situation – but it was a human who planted the ‘personality‘ in the computer in the first place?
Strange as it may seem – what came to mind are the new completely self-service shops (please read my ‘comment’ too)……
https://theorkneynews.scot/2024/01/06/self-check-outs-changing-our-shopping-experience/
This Star Trek episode is dated in some ways but, in my view, relevant to today’s world and the way we might be going.
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BBC Pics. of Scotland….
5th – 12th of January 2023…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67939606
A brilliant pic by David May of the ’sphere’ at the Knockan Crag Geology Trail…
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/05/25/the-western-isles-or-there-and-back-again-ii/
And…Ian Maxwell’s ‘Hair Ice’ just…….!!!!!!!!!
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