RE: Anthropomorphism is bad because...

["McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>]

Janice Gelb argued:
> 
> On  Jun 21, 2010 11:12PM, Chris Despopoulos wrote:
> > **********
> > The definition of "expect" is to anticipate or to
> > consider probable or reasonable, which require
> > cognition. A non-anthropomorphic substitute might
> > be "require," which is a state that can be programmed
> > into the system.
> > **********
> >
> > A system can indeed anticipate something in response
> > to entering a given state, set up the data structures
> > to manage it, and continue functioning in its absence.
> > I certainly hope that's not cognition.  Then again,
> > I always figured that AI research stumbles on an
> > overestimation of intelligence. [snip]
> >
> 
> The *system* is not anticipating anything. The
> *programmer* anticipated conditions and programmed
> the system to perform certain actions in response
> to certain actions or information.

In most cases, the customer/user doesn't _have_ the 
programmer with them. They have the system. And the 
system is sitting their waiting (possibly tapping 
its little foot impatiently), and is more than ready 
to refuse input that doesn't meet its standards. 

Where the analogy breaks down is that you can't wear 
the system down ("Can we, Daddy? CAN we? Huh? Huh? 
Can we can we canwecanwecanwecanwecanwe?) to the 
point where it'll just give up and accept faulty 
or inappropriate input. 



OK, I'm kidding a little on that last bit. Just a little.


 - K

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