From: Ken Clements (Ken@innovation-on-demand.com)
Date: Sat Feb 08 2003 - 14:36:56 MST
At 12:15 PM 2/8/2003 -0500, Eliezer wrote:
>I can fix problems I don't understand. There are no words to convey the
>feeling of omnipotence this generates.
This sounds like an example of Searle's Chinese Room, but instead of
answering questions in Chinese which you do not understand, you are fixing
car problems you do not understand. Actually, most of modern medical
practice works this way. The doctors know how to match your presentation
of symptoms to a vast database. The epidemiologists have mapped what
treatment get the best statistical result in the population with the given
presentation. So that is what they pass on to you. (Note: major liability
ass covers happen to result as well.) If pressed, some will admit that
they do not even try to understand what is going on, because it would make
no difference in what they do. However, I think, most just enjoy the
feeling of omnipotence this generates.
-Ken
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