RE: Intelligence, IE, and SI - Part 1

Billy Brown (bbrown@conemsco.com)
Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:44:13 -0600

Skye Howard wrote:
> I was thinking about your example of an individual who had acces to a
> computer. I think that quite possibly such an individual might be
> considered a primitive future human... you know what I mean? Is
> anybody else thinking similar thoughts? I mean, a computer being a
> primitive neural extension, and a keyboard or mouse or whatever a
> primitive neural connection, could it not be that one's
> IQ-plus-computer or IQ-plus-net could be considered a measure of your
> intelligence as an advanced individual? It may be really silly,
> but......
> it's a thought..

IMHO, that's a fairly accurate way to look at it. The main difference between a tool that amplifies your intelligence and a specialized brain function that makes you smarter is the quality of the interface. Right now the interface is terrible, so we think of computers as external tools. As interfaces get better it will begin to make sense to think of the computers as being part of their owner's mind.

Billy Brown, MCSE+I
bbrown@conemsco.com