RIP: Joseph Weizenbaum

[Aahz]

Creator of Eliza:

http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N12/weizenbaum.html

 

[Reedick, Andrew]

-----Original Message-----

From: [email protected] [mailtoython-
[email protected]] On Behalf Of Aahz
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 2:05 PM
To: (e-mail address removed)
Subject: RIP: Joseph Weizenbaum

Creator of Eliza:

http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N12/weizenbaum.html
--

How do you feel about creator of Eliza?



*****

The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential, proprietary, and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from all computers. GA621

 

[castironpi]

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailtoython-
[email protected]] On Behalf Of Aahz
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 2:05 PM
To: (e-mail address removed)
Subject: RIP: Joseph Weizenbaum

Creator of Eliza:

http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N12/weizenbaum.html
--

How do you feel about creator of Eliza?

What is Eliza?

 

[Roel Schroeven]

(e-mail address removed) schreef:

What is Eliza?

Does that question interest you?

--
The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge
faster than society gathers wisdom.
-- Isaac Asimov

Roel Schroeven

 

[castironpi]

(e-mail address removed) schreef:



Does that question interest you?

He had a dream about a pillow.

 

[Jeff Schwab]

(e-mail address removed) schreef:

Does that question interest you?

Well played, sir.

 

[Tim Roberts]

Well played, sir.

Earlier you said what is Eliza. Do you still feel that way?

I am embarrassed to say that this vaguely disrespectful exchange made me
laugh out loud.

 

[Arnaud Delobelle]

I am embarrassed to say that this vaguely disrespectful exchange made me
laugh out loud.

Does it bother you that this vaguely disrespectful exchange made you
laugh out loud?

 

[castironpi]

Does it bother you that this vaguely disrespectful exchange made you
laugh out loud?

No more than funerals, really, and weddings and birthday parties are
kind of suspect too; I'm torn. How do you feel about them?

 

[Aahz]

I am embarrassed to say that this vaguely disrespectful exchange made me
laugh out loud.

Serious: why do you think this is disrespectful?

 

[Jeff Schwab]

Serious: why do you think this is disrespectful?

Not to speak for Tim, but I imagine it could be perceived as
disrespectful because Prof. Weizenbaum has only recently passed away.
In fact, I think the Prof would be very happy to see people having some
fun at the expense of AI, which he saw as a real threat to human freedom.

http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N12/weizenbaum.html

"Named for the heroine of My Fair Lady, ELIZA was perhaps the first
instance of what today is known as a chatterbot program. Specifically,
the ELIZA program simulated a conversation between a patient and a
psychotherapist by using a person’s responses to shape the computer’s
replies. Weizenbaum was shocked to discover that many users were taking
his program seriously and were opening their hearts to it. The
experience prompted him to think philosophically about the implications
of artificial intelligence, and, later, to become a critic of it.

"In 1976, he authored Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment to
Calculation, in which he displayed ambivalence toward computer
technology and warned against giving machines the responsibility for
making genuinely human choices. Specifically, Weizenbaum argued that it
was not just wrong but dangerous and, in some cases, immoral to assume
that computers would be able to do anything given enough processing
power and clever programming."

See also: http://www-ai.ijs.si/eliza-cgi-bin/eliza_script

You: What is Eliza?

Eliza: Does that question interest you?

 

[Aahz]

Not to speak for Tim, but I imagine it could be perceived as
disrespectful because Prof. Weizenbaum has only recently passed away.
In fact, I think the Prof would be very happy to see people having some
fun at the expense of AI, which he saw as a real threat to human freedom.

Exactly. Also, humor is one traditional response to negative emotions;
see all the various Gygax tributes that use humor.

 

[castironpi]

I am embarrassed to say that this vaguely disrespectful exchange made me

Exactly.  Also, humor is one traditional response to negative emotions;
see all the various Gygax tributes that use humor.

Were you close to him?