| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] | Microsoft developing instant translation tool that 'works like a human brain'
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| | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:05
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| The foolishness of the human race | Nov 28, 2012 |
FarkasAndras wrote:
.....it's definitely possible. When - or if - we get there is anyone's guess. Not in the next five years. In the next 25? Probably not. In the next 50? Maybe. In the next 200? I'm almost certain.
The foolishness of the human race is that it's trying to arrive, via technology, at a machine that is able to do what we already know how to do. Madness.
[Edited at 2012-11-28 15:37 GMT]
| | | | | This can be true... but on another planet | Nov 28, 2012 |
computer can't think by itself, it needs always a degree of human control to function. When science actually manage to create a full human being from scratch, then there might be a chance to create a human like minded software. in all cases, this will never work for my Arabic language.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:05
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| No- it's true here and now | Nov 28, 2012 |
Nihad_Ali wrote: computer can't think by itself, it needs always a degree of human control to function. When science actually manage to create a full human being from scratch, then there might be a chance to create a human like minded software. in all cases, this will never work for my Arabic language.
No, Nihad - it's happening NOW. Read this article entitled "Will machines kill mankind? Cambridge academics want to know. Academics highlight threat of super-intelligent technology"
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/will-machines-kill-mankind-cambridge-academics-want-to-know-8348998.html
Some of the comments to the article are hilarious, others are really thoughtful and interesting.
And may I point the accusing finger at your Arabic language and mathematics for (a) having introduced the concept of 0, without which no computers could ever have worked (b) the evil Abū ʿAbdallāh Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizm, inventor of al-jabr (algebra).
Guilty !
[Edited at 2012-11-28 17:20 GMT]
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Tom in London wrote: FarkasAndras wrote:
.....it's definitely possible. When - or if - we get there is anyone's guess. Not in the next five years. In the next 25? Probably not. In the next 50? Maybe. In the next 200? I'm almost certain. The foolishness of the human race is that it's trying to arrive, via technology, at a machine that is able to do what we already know how to do. Madness.
Well, we also know how to walk. That didn't stop us from inventing the car, and I'd say it has proven pretty useful. We also know how to do additions and substractions on paper, but we still invented the calculator and the computer. We also know how to communicate via postal letter, but I noticed you just made a post on an Internet forum.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:05
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Some people believe in technology the way some others believe in a god. I'm not one of them. Ever since 1912 when the unsinkable "Titanic", that model of the most advanced technology of the time, foundered on her maiden voyage, I have understood that technology is not triumphant but tragic - see this story from today's newspapers, for instance: http://tinyurl.com/d844xn9 - I don't worship technology; I'm suspi... See more Some people believe in technology the way some others believe in a god. I'm not one of them. Ever since 1912 when the unsinkable "Titanic", that model of the most advanced technology of the time, foundered on her maiden voyage, I have understood that technology is not triumphant but tragic - see this story from today's newspapers, for instance: http://tinyurl.com/d844xn9 - I don't worship technology; I'm suspicious of it and I don't beleve there is a technological solution to every problem facing mankind. Including translation. Technology is just a tool. Sometimes useful, often dangerous.
Over and out.
[Edited at 2012-11-29 08:00 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | We're not in that discussion | Nov 29, 2012 |
Nobody here claimed that technology can solve all problems. You did claim, however, that it's misguided to seek technological solutions for things we can do without technology. I felt I had to point out how spurious that argument is.
I for one think that trying to develop a computer system that can accurately translate thousands of pages of text in seconds for a cost of 1 dollar is a worthwhile endeavour. If it succeds, it could put a bunch of people out of a job, but that's just th... See more Nobody here claimed that technology can solve all problems. You did claim, however, that it's misguided to seek technological solutions for things we can do without technology. I felt I had to point out how spurious that argument is.
I for one think that trying to develop a computer system that can accurately translate thousands of pages of text in seconds for a cost of 1 dollar is a worthwhile endeavour. If it succeds, it could put a bunch of people out of a job, but that's just the way it goes. If you can't see the usefulness of something like that, I'm not sure what to say. ▲ Collapse
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FarkasAndras wrote:
That is a big claim and it is backed up by... nothing. Intuitively, emotionally, this claim feels "right" to many people but that doesn't make it true. By stating this unsupported claim, the author essentially tries to resolve the debate by way of declaration before it even begins.
It is backed up by plain common sense. Coming to a ground of general agreement on where to go and why. But let us leave that specific book aside. Instant, perfect, automated means of doing everything we do at our own stumbling pace - where (the hell) does that requirement come from? Are we that sick of doing what we do? We are talking about MT here, but it concerns our whole civilization. Not even entering any kind of moral debate (please), it shouldn't be so far-fetched to ask "what for" instead of sticking to "why not" and going on along an endless road of questionable progress. I'm with Tom here: madness!
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