Computers are arguably among the most powerful machines created by mankind. A specific field of computer technology, called Artificial Intelligence, explores how computers can take on increasingly complex human tasks. In one way of telling the story, the field of Artificial Intelligence started with Alan Turing’s question “Can machines think?” (Turing, 1950). Since then, computers have come a long way, raising important debates from both the yes and no sides of the answer to Turing’s question. However, the question also distracts attention from the relationship between humans and machines, who together may do a better job at conquering complexity than either one on them. This paper wonders if a more productive question might be to wonder how humans and computers will co-evolve over the coming years in order to meet the staggering challenges the broader world that we live in is presenting us with. First, it focuses on the state of the art of the Turing test, a thought experiment that was designed to approach answers to Turing’s question. Then it takes the perspective of embodied realism, a scientific paradigm emerging from the findings of second generation cognitive science, and it uncovers some of the metaphors behind both sides of the Turing test debate. Then it introduces the idea of complexity and assumes that a synthesis of both sides of the argument makes more sense if we are to work pragmatically in today’s complex world. It proposes conceptual metaphor design as a method for engaging with complexity, and introduces the metaphor of organizational improvisation to synthesize the dilemma inherent in the Turing test, thereby transcending and including the dilemma of Artificial Intelligence in a collaborative human machine paradox. The paper finishes by exploring the case study of Pat Metheney’s orchestrion to infer metaphorical implications for man-machine interaction. |
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Information systems: Beyond Turing: using organizational improvisation to explore human machine interaction.posted Dec 21, 2011 7:42 AM by Sergej van Middendorp |