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From: bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Barry W. Kort)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Re: footnote to understanding
Summary: Am I aimless?
Keywords: Needs and Goals
Message-ID: <46319@linus.UUCP>
Date: 13 Mar 89 23:37:35 GMT
References: <4298@pt.cs.cmu.edu> <7408@polya.Stanford.EDU> <etc.,etc.> <819@odyssey.ATT.COM>
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Reply-To: bwk@mbunix (Kort)
Organization: Garden Golems, Inc., Norbert, WI
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I was intrigued by G. L. Sicherman's citation from Maia I. Aimless.
I wonder if that name is an anagram.  It is very close to "I am aimless."

Which brings up an interesting observation.  Any system which can
communicate its goal can induce others to "do its bidding" (provided
the goal is not too repugnant).

I am reminded of the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz who managed to induce
Dorothy to oil him.  Even a squeaky wheel seems able to communicate its
needs, as we learned from Robert Pirsig's famous book, _Zen and the
Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_.

Like, Aimless, I am not convinced that an ability to successfully signal
one's needs counts as "understanding".

--Barry Kort