Rewrite in Progress: 2019-08-05 See also: SentimentalStargazer.com
Thinking Talking Computing
Computing reveals something about how we think and talk. ______________________________________
Our computers are simple machines made of wires and chips. They are fast, doing billions of operations per second. Fortunately these operations are repeatable and reliable and so similar to numbers that we can do useful things like accounting, cellphones and GPS.
Our brains are complex networks of billlions of living cells, passing waves of pulses back and forth - across more connections than there are stars in the MilkyWay galaxy. Although we know where a few functions are located: speech, sight and motor control, we have no idea how they work - yet.
Our brain’s neurons are slow, taking milliseconds to fire and recover. Our computer chips are a million times faster, doing billions of operations per second. Our computers perform arithmetic, but our brains seem to be built on pattern recognition instead.
As life began, after billions of years we developed from simple cells to more complex cells using DNA. After some more billions of years, we became multicell organisms like sponges, comb jellies and fish. Just 500 million years ago, we finally climbed onto land, grew feet and hands, eventually standing upright a couple of million years ago and finally began talking, about 80,000 - 200,000 years ago?
Some organisms developed social communities like ants, wasps and bees.
We aren’t there yet - or are we?
Many people, me included, have said:
language is our most accessible clue to how we think. And that is still definitely true, BUT:
Deeper than language, there are other operations our brains do, such as music.
music is a key to how we think and feel,
but deeper, down deep inside.
Hang on, here we go ...
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1 - Research - Thinking, Talking, Computing
Long ago, I worked on the first supercomputer.
At first I thought computers were only for numbers,
Then I was given the task of writing a parser.
What’s a parser? I asked.
Parsers recognize words, I was told.
And from there, the story leads into . . .
the deep space between thought and language.
There I keep encountering the question:
How can a two year old talk?
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2 - Models - Modelling, measuring, controlling the real world by simulation - work in progress
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3 - Development - Systems Software
I create systems software
invisible programs hidden inside your computer
like operating systems, networks, databases, languages . . .
Systems software
makes concrete things like chips and wires, zeros and ones,
into abstract things that you use :
like email, spreadsheets and web browsers, . . .
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4 - Projects - EXAMPLES - two from various real projects I have done:
Factories: Warehouses:
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4 - ABOUT ME - my history, tech info, resumé cv
Antelope Flats at sunrise:
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CONTACT: Gareth Harris, email: garethharris@mac.com.