Model Summary “Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness”
ESL 272
Model Summary “Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness”
Chacko
In his article “Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness,” David Gelernter examines the impact of computers in the life of mankind. He addresses three questions: whether computers and the internet started a new information age, whether computers have been good for the human race, and whether they will have a positive impact in the next half century.
For the first question, Gelernter’s answer is “no’ because, according to him, computers haven’t reduced our basic needs for things such as food, clothing, shelter and one another, nor has it decreased our need for physical stuff. He looks at the three arguments that people who claim that we are in a new information age make: we have new machines that can create, store and deliver information, that computer networks have conquered geography and that these are intelligent machines. He contradicts all three claims. First, he says computers are only the latest in a series of inventions that started us in the information age in the early 20th century. Second, mankind had already started to conquer distance through infrastructure and technology. Finally, there had been many other intelligent machines before computers such as the thermostat, the electrical system in a car, flying machines, radio, TV, electricity and so on. However, he concedes that computers have had a big impact in science and engineering since it is cheaper and more efficient to use computational models in research in those fields. Next, Gelernter addresses the question whether computers have been good for mankind. He contends that if human beings are poor or ignorant, they need more wealth and information. In this country, most people are above the threshold of poverty and ignorance; hence, what computers bring into their life doesn’t matter much except while people are in the process of acquiring more wealth and information. Despite the wealth and information computers
Model Summary “Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness”
Chacko
In his article “Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness,” David Gelernter examines the impact of computers in the life of mankind. He addresses three questions: whether computers and the internet started a new information age, whether computers have been good for the human race, and whether they will have a positive impact in the next half century.
For the first question, Gelernter’s answer is “no’ because, according to him, computers haven’t reduced our basic needs for things such as food, clothing, shelter and one another, nor has it decreased our need for physical stuff. He looks at the three arguments that people who claim that we are in a new information age make: we have new machines that can create, store and deliver information, that computer networks have conquered geography and that these are intelligent machines. He contradicts all three claims. First, he says computers are only the latest in a series of inventions that started us in the information age in the early 20th century. Second, mankind had already started to conquer distance through infrastructure and technology. Finally, there had been many other intelligent machines before computers such as the thermostat, the electrical system in a car, flying machines, radio, TV, electricity and so on. However, he concedes that computers have had a big impact in science and engineering since it is cheaper and more efficient to use computational models in research in those fields. Next, Gelernter addresses the question whether computers have been good for mankind. He contends that if human beings are poor or ignorant, they need more wealth and information. In this country, most people are above the threshold of poverty and ignorance; hence, what computers bring into their life doesn’t matter much except while people are in the process of acquiring more wealth and information. Despite the wealth and information computers