I like when J.C.R. Licklider talks about the necessity of having the Man-Computer Symbiosis: “It is often said that programming for a computing machine forces one to think clearly, that it disciplines the thought process. If the user can think his problem through in advance, symbiotic association with a computing machine is not necessary.” It pointed to the reality that “users can not think through the problems in advance” and “the machine can help us to do that”; therefore, this is why the Man-Computer Symbiosis is important to achieve.
Inside the “Man-Computer Symbiosis”, it also pointed out that machines are more rational than humans, so it can help us see the real problem: “The question is not, ‘What is the answer?’ The question is, ‘What is the question?'” said by Poincare. This is just like the problem that I am facing in my foundation class: when doing a design story, I always think too far in details and lose focus on the real problems I need to fix.
I think The “Man-Computer Symbiosis (1960)” by J.C.R. Licklider is so essential for us to understand because it states the ideal relationship of how humans and machines should behave in the future and how we should see the relationship in a correct angle. For this, I have personal experience: It reminds me of my back time in a calculus class doing my midterm, the test was ten pages long, and I only have one hour to do it, so I have to rely on my graphing calculator for all my calculation in order to save some time. Just like the Blastophaga grossorun and the fig tree. We have to live together.
thankyou for your sharing, this is very interesting, love your beautiful picture
Great writing and beautiful image!