"Isaac Asimov - Feeling of Power" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

\pard\li15\sl10\slmult0 performs a finite number of operations upon them. The hu-\par
\pard\li10\sl55\slmult0 man mind can duplicate the process."\par
\pard\li205 The president considered that. He said, "If Shuman says\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 this, I am inclined to believe himin theory. But, in prac-\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 tice, how can anyone know how a computer works?"\par
\pard\li210\sl15\slmult0 Brant laughed genially. "Well, Mr. President, I asked the\par
\pard\li15\sl55\slmult0 same question. It seems that at one time computers were de-\par
\pard\li10 signed directly by human beings. Those were simple compu-\par
\pard\li10\sl35\slmult0 ters, of course, this being before the time of the rational use of\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 computers to design more advanced computers had been es-\par
\pard tablished."\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 "Yes, yes. Go on."\par
\pard "Technican Aub apparently had, as his hobby, the recon-\fs24\par
\fs18 struction of some of these ancient devices and in so doing he\par
\pard\sl15\slmult0 studied the details of their workings and found he could im-\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 itate them. The multiplication I just performed for you is\par
\pard\li10\sl50\slmult0 an imitation of the workings of a computer."\par
\pard\li230 "Amazing!"\par
\pard\li215\sl30\slmult0 The Congressman coughed gently, "If I may make another\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 point, Mr. President The further we can develop this\par
\pard\li20\sl15\slmult0 thing, the more we can divert our Federal effort from com-\par
\pard\li20\sl35\slmult0 puter production and computer maintenance. As the human\par
\pard\li25 brain takes over, more of our energy can be directed into\par
\pard\li35\sl10\slmult0 peacetime pursuits and the impingement of war on the ordi-\par
\pard\li35\sl65\slmult0 nary man will be less. This will be more advantageous for\par
\pard\li45 the party in power, of course."\par
\pard\li255\sl5\slmult0 "Ah," said the president, "I see your point. Well, sit down,\par
\pard\li55\sl25\slmult0 Congressman, sit down. I want some time to think about\par
\pard\li55\sl15\slmult0 this. But meanwhile, show me that multiplication trick\par
\pard\li60\sl15\slmult0 again. Let's see if I can't catch the point of it."\par
\pard\li275\sl230\slmult0 Programmer Shuman did not try to hurry matters. Loesser\par
\pard\li60\sl55\slmult0 was conservative, very conservative and liked to deal with\par
\pard\li65 computers as his father and grandfather had. Still, he con-\par
\pard\li75\sl10\slmult0 trolled the West European computer combine, and if he could\par
\pard\li65\sl35\slmult0 be persuaded to join Project Number in full enthusiasm, a\par
\pard\li80\sl35\slmult0 great deal would be accomplished.\par
\pard\li285\sl15\slmult0 But Loesser was holding back. He said, "I'm not sure I\par
\pard\li80\sl25\slmult0 like the idea of relaxing our hold on computers. The human\par
mind is a capricious thing. The computer will give the same\par
\pard\li95\sl70\slmult0 answer to the same problem each time. What guarantee\par
\pard\li80 have we that the human mind will do the same?"\par
\pard\li295\sl25\slmult0 "The human mind, Computer Loesser, only manipulates\par
\pard\li95\sl30\slmult0 facts. It doesn't matter whether the human mind or a machine\par
\pard\li90\sl30\slmult0 does it. They are just tools."\par
\pard\li305\sl25\slmult0 "Yes, yes. I've gone over your ingenious demonstration\par
\pard\li95\sl20\slmult0 that the mind can duplicate the computer, but it seems to me\par
\pard\li90\sl70\slmult0 a little in the air. I'll grant the theory but what reason have\par
\pard\li85\sl30\slmult0 we for thinking that theory can be converted to practice?"\par
\pard\li295 "I think we have reason, sir. After all, computers have\par
\pard\li85\sl40\slmult0 not always existed. The cave men with their triremes, stone\par