The logic machine - on the fly judgement

We live in a world of high-tech gadgetry and just about everyone has a 'smart' phone attached to their hand with eyes glued to the screen.

For a long time now, I have been a corporate business English trainer. This is actually just a side gig currently as my core business is personnel skill development. but, like so many jobs in the future, machines will replace language trainers. They already are.

Not only does Google translate get used massively, there are on the fly programs and earbuds etc that can allow people to speak their mother tongue and another get it translated directly into their own. I have never tried and I am sure they are imperfect but, they will improve very fast.

Although the technological sides of development are difficult, the actual process is quite simple for most part as languages are patterns describing things and those patterns can be translated into other patterns that describe the same thing. Of course, there are difficulties with idiomatic usage and unique concepts but, all in all, it shouldn't be too far away.

But, let's take this one step further. What if, instead of only looking at the language, it looked at the logic of the language used and picked out the fallacy in what is being said in an argument automatically. As one user commented on an earlier post, philosophy is much closer to mathematics, it is not a free for all. Fair enough.

This means there are rules to follow and he also pointed out logic is part of the philosophical discourse. Rules are programmable and if we can translate language, we can also translate logic. At least the conventional rules of it.

On top of this, with all of the technological advancements and data available. It can learn from us as speakers and actors and match that up with what facts it can find that support or disprove our argument. All on the fly.

This doesn't mean that we are held to what we had previously thought either as there is a pathway to the way we have changed our thinking, the way we have grown intellectually. It would hear all of our conversations and following words and be able track how our language has shifted in understanding.

Now, as this is on the fly technology it may be able to also be visually represented on the fly also and be able to show an audience whether a speaker is representing themselves logically, and in line with their historical pathway view of a topic. We wouldn't necessarily need to know the entire pathway but if the machine can track the process that lead to the statement, we may be able to see if what someone says, they actually believe or act upon privately.

Imagine what this would look like when someone like Trump speaks or any politician. Any person for that matter. Imagine if there was Spock speaking (he can be the embodiment of a logician who not only studies but lives it) and we could see that there is no conflict within what he says from a logical view nor a conflict in the way he acts historically. Even when he has 'changed his mind' on a situation, the logical process has been recorded and therefore the logic of considering new data and shifting upon it is still in line with his values.'

How many would want to have their statements scanned for logical flaws and compared to their historical words and actions? Plus, also compared to the collated known history of the world and the best data available at the time.

I for one am humble enough to know that I am not always logical, even though I also recognize that I am sometimes quite logical. I wonder if a machine that could show where and when I am illogical or risking breaking my own value systems would help me better understand myself and think more clearly in relation to where I want to be.

Perhaps, it could even learn to predict accurately what I would do before I actually do it and offer options that will help me achieve my long-term goals over my short-term desires. Or at least point out where the conflict lays. Should I eat this doughnut now or is my long-term goal to lose weight compromised?

It could even be gamified since people enjoy entertainment so much, as a myriad of statistical analyses are possible and progress is traceable. We could make it social and have our scores shared with potential business and romantic partners or employers.

Maybe it would only be used for public discourse where the highly regarded and admired are under scrutiny based upon their traced private lives. Then we could see exactly who is representing themselves honestly and in line with their personal positions.

Maybe at Steemit, it could be implemented as a bot that when someone posts, it is automatically scanned and hidden due to 'low logic'. I wonder how many posts make it through quality control.

As logic is well, logical. All of the rules it contains and could contain should be quite easy to program and once combined with the translation technology should be viable and in time, accurate. As it learns, it can also create learning programs for us to become more logical like it is and guide us all based on the generalized rules it has discovered by observing us all.

How could being logical go wrong?

On a separate note, I wonder how they may program the machine to consider art and beauty, the inspiration and understanding of a sunset, the smile of a loved child, the attachment built from breast feeding or the pain of illness and loss. Perhaps this is why at times Spock acted out of friendship, even if it wan't logical. Who knows as it may be illogical to use him as a comparison for he is a created character of the imagination, so comparing fantasy to reality.

As important as clarity of thought is, if it leads us to mechanical living, bound by logic alone, I think a great part of what makes humans creative and imaginative would be lost. I 'feel' that this would have profound effects on how we evolve and the shape in which society moves and I worry where if it would lead to mechanical stagnancy.

Yes, more logic is needed and less emotional reactionist actions but, there may be a limit to where the line is. I wonder if there is a logical solution to the emotion/thought balance.

What do you guys think (or feel)?

Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]