It never ceases to amaze me how otherwise intelligent people can fall for
little traps.  I knew perfectly well what Wirt meant when he was talking
about when he used the word "invented."  I could not resist poking him a
little bit and see what kind of pompous answer would come back.

Something one should remember is that someone keeps insisting on connecting
this listserver to the rest of the Internet, thus gracing us with tons of
Spam and exposing our discussions to the rest of the world.  Be that as it
may, the subject of this thread seems to be hotly contested in other circles
and I just thought that Wirt would definitely not want to have his otherwise
excellent prose used incorrectly.  I therefore gently nudged him to correct
himself and for this he should be pleased.  I know that I would rather have
a friend help me correct myself than to have someone with an agenda use my
words in ways that were never my intention.

In an earlier life, I was aspiring to be a biochemist and spent a lot of
time anthropomorphizing actions in chemicals especially in laboratory
experiments.  I certainly have been guilty of doing that with respect to
computers in the last 30 years or so, but my daughters keep me honest.

However, it's not just anthropomorphizing that is a failing; it is also
using words with multiple meanings.  A year or so ago, I had occasion to
give a talk to one of my daughters' classes.  In it I talked about computers
and other things and happened to talk about instruments.  The whole class
went into the "blank, quizzical" stare.  I realized that and looked at the
teacher.  She explained they thought I was talking about MUSICAL
instruments.  I realized their confusion and tried to be more circumspect
from then on.


Denys
-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Bruce Toback
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 5:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT: Evolution, Question 1

On Apr 29, 2005, at 3:09 PM, Wirt Atmar wrote:

> Denys writes:
>>
>> You say that "... DNA-based life extends back at least as far 3.6 Ga,
>> and
>> may go to 3.8 Ga. This is the point in time at which the machinery of
>> life
>> that inhabits this planet was invented..."
>>
>> You did not explain how it was invented or by whom or what.
>
> The use of the word "invention" was a metaphor on my part. I did not
> mean to
> imply that there was an "inventor," ...

This is a characteristic that scientists have (and that scientists
share with computer folk): using a word that connotes intention when no
such connotation is intended. It's just easier to talk in terms of what
people do, since that's the vocabulary that everyone shares.

This morning, in our science class, I was talking to my kids about the
Bohr model of the atom (electrons in shells). Denys's question prompted
me to think about the language I used, and, true to form, it was
anthropomorphized: atoms want to have filled outer shells; fluorine can
steal an electron from heavier noble gases like xenon; alkali metals
give up an electron to get to a filled-shell state.

I don't think that even the most ardent animist believes that an
individual fluorine atom harbors malevolent intent toward any other
atom -- though chemists, particularly organic chemists, speak of such
atoms "attacking" bonds.  Nor is there any altruism involved when two
atoms "share" their bonding electrons.

It's just habit, and perhaps a little fun, to treat the inanimate as
living. It's no different than imploring the computer to "hurry up".
But it also serves a pedagogic purpose, one whose advantages should
outweigh its shortcomings: it turns out that people understand
processes more readily and reason more accurately when problems are
presented in human rather than abstract terms.

-- Bruce

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Bruce Toback       (602) 996-8601| My candle burns at both ends;
OPT, Inc.          (800) 858-4507| It will not last the night;
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Phoenix AZ 85028                 | It gives a lovely light.
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