step into my office...

My first response to the ‘doctors one liners was, this sounds so CREEPY! The answers the computer responds to the girl in the article were pure guesses. I truly don’t think the computer could answer ANY of the patients questions if a person hadn’t programmed it to do so. I think what’s interesting is I’ve used computer programs that actually ‘predict’ or give advice, much like a palm reader or eight ball. I can’t believe I used them, especially because the computer makes you wait while it ‘thinks’ about the response it’s giving you. So, really I would use this Eliza program once those ‘crinks’ were worked out. The reason I would use it is because what makes us trust a human and not a computer as a response unit? Essentially we assume, well a doctor has a phd. and thus that education makes us trust her responses. Well, a computer is programmed with the same knowledge. Is it body language and eye contact, tone of voice and emotional connection that are missing? I think the article makes a great point, when grappling with the ideas from the 1960’s, about the possibility of computers ‘taking over’. “The concern that machines will take over not just the jobs that provide us income, but also those cognitive and emotional functions we closely associate with humanity, is a particular worry of the computer era-one that was highlighted for Weizenbaum by the way some suggested that Doctor should be employed as an actual therapist.” I am so confused, yet again, as my stance shifts back and forth on my opinion of computers doing ‘human’ jobs. I think if it benefits people, we should embrace the change. If it doesn’t make sense to do so, then we should shy away. However, as the article points out, this was a prediction that programs similar to the Eliza-doctor program would be apparent by 2000, and we have outstretched that with programs like secondlife and interactive videogames. When cell phones first came out I can remember people griping and complaining left and right, but now everyone including grandparents, have a cell phone. Therefore, given time, Im sure people would acclimate, because curiousity cannot be masked for long