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Article 3745 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: fb0m+@andrew.cmu.edu (Franklin Boyle)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: 2 laws of Classical Logic
Message-ID: <Mdb0uQS00Uh743peIo@andrew.cmu.edu>
Date: 14 Feb 92 18:46:52 GMT
Organization: Cntr for Design of Educational Computing, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Lines: 53

Marvin Minsky writes:

>>>>+-------------------------------------+------------------------------------
-
>>>>-+
>>>>| David K. Lyndes                     | "In 50 years, if we're nice
to them 
>>>> |
>>>>| Barrios Technology                  |  computers will keep us
around as   
>>>> |
>>>>| email: dlyndes@deltahp.jsc.nasa.gov |  pets." --anon.             
       
>>>+-------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
>>>
>>>                                           This isn't anonymous. It was said
>>>                                           by either Alan Newell or Marvin
>>>                                           Minsky. Moreoever, I believe it
>>>                                           said 25 years ago. Better get 
>>>                                           working!
>>
>>
>>
>>Ah ha! It was Minsky. It's cited in John Searle's _Minds, Brains, and
Science_
>>(the book based on the best-selling article, Minds, Brains, and Programs)
>>on p. 30. Searle doesn't give a reference however. I'm cross-posting this
>>to comp.ai.philosophy, which Dr. Minsky reads. Perhaps he'll give us his
>>current views on the matter.
> 
>I think it was from a very inaccurate article in Life Magazine a long
>time ago -- shortly before it went broke.  I'm sure Newell didn't make
>this joke, and I'm sure that it was me XOR Fredkin.  But I don't know
>which.  Either does he.
 

Actually, I just happen to have saved that article (I believe it was about
1973 or so -- no date on the pages).  The quote which Life Magazine printed is:

  ' "Once computers got control," says Minsky, "we might never get
     it back.  We would survive at their sufferance.  If we're lucky,
     they might decide to keep us as pets."  '

This was said, at least according to the article, in the context of computer
control of systems essential to society's survival.  They say that Minsky and
Papert believe the problem of computer control will have to be solved before
computers are put in charge of such systems.

The Life article was titled "Meet Shaky, the first electronic Person" with
the trailer "The fascinating and fearsome reality of a machine with a mind of
its own".

-Frank


