Rachlin (2012) makes two general assertions: (a) "To be human is to behave as humans behave, and to function in society as humans function," and (b) "essential human attributes such as consciousness, the ability to love, to feel pain, to sense, to perceive, and to imagine may all be possessed by a computer'. Although Rachlin's article is an…

This essay uses the recent victory of an IBM computer (Watson) in the TV game, "Jeopardy," to speculate on the abilities Watson would need, in addition to those it has, to be human. The essay's basic premise is that to be human is to behave as humans behave and to function in society as humans function. Alternatives to this premise are considered…

Soviet efforts in designing third-generation computers are discussed in two featured articles which describe (1) the development and production of integrated circuits, and their role in computers; and (2) the use of amorphous chalcogenide glass in lasers, infrared devices, and semiconductors. Other articles discuss production-oriented branch…

The issue features articles and photographs of computers displayed at the Automation-69 Exhibition in Moscow, especially the Mir-1 and Ruta-110. Also discussed are the Doza analog computer for radiological dosage; 'on-the-fly' output printers; other ways to increase computer speed and productivity; and the planned ultra-high-energy 1000-Bev…

Describes artificial intelligence (AI) as the study of intelligence with the ideas and methods of computation. States that the goal is to make computers more intelligent and thereby uncover the principles that make intelligent behavior possible. Discusses knowledge representations, production (if-then) systems, and expert systems as forms of AI.…

In this article, the author discusses education and the politics of cyberpunk. The importance in contemporary education of critical theory as a pedagogic basis for the analysis of textual and cultural resources creates a space for educationalists to implement meaningful curriculum content. The genre of cyberpunk acts on this level, yet also…

The danger of computers is not that people will be controlled by them but that they may imitate them, mistaking data for wisdom. Unobstructed access to facts can produce unlimited good only if matched by the desire and ability to discover what they mean and where they would lead. (MSE)

Five articles which were selected from a Russian language book on cybernetics and then translated are presented here. They deal with the topics of: computer-developed computers, heuristics and modern sciences, linguistics and practice, cybernetics and moral-ethical considerations, and computer chess programs. (Author/JY)

The only operational Soviet time-sharing systems are incorporated in special-purpose, fixed-application installations, most of which are intended for industrial applications of process control or management information. Despite the peculiar suitability of time-sharing to the Soviet economic system, with its heavy reliance on centralized planning…

The brief therapy approach to counseling was born in the post-World War II cybernetics movement. The shift from a problem focus to a solution focus altered the way in which counselors approached helping clients out of their inflexible cognitive representations. Alongside this evolution in psychotherapy were the growth of research in artificial…

An architectural computer system was developed using modern small scale computers, to ease the interaction and conflict within the design team during the design process. The original proposal included an information file, a mathematical building model, and a subsystems (electrical, cost estimating, etc.) model. Due to unanticipated problems, the…

LARGE SCALE GUIDANCE INFORMATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS MAY MEET THE PROBLEMS POSED BY THE INFORMATION EXPLOSION AND CYBERNATION. ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT COUNSELING, THE ROLE OF THE COUNSELOR, THE CLIENT, DECISION-MAKING, VOCATION AND EMPLOYMENT, AND GUIDANCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS ARE REVIEWED. THESE ASSUMPTIONS PROVIDE THE RATIONALE FOR THE SUGGESTIONS MADE.…

In the modern concept a robot is a complex automatic cybernetics system capable of executing various operations in the sphere of human activity and in various respects combining the imitative capacity of the physical and mental activity of man. They are a class of automatic information systems intended for search, collection, processing, and…