To Err is Human Summary
Thomas starts his discussion by stating a public opinion that computers are unable to make mistakes if they are normal. Then, he says that these electronic machines are called additional developments of human brains, so it is possible for them to make mistakes for being human. After, he gives different examples about the working of a good computer and asserts that it can think clearly and fast to beat anyone in chess. Plus, Thomas says that some machines or computers have also been programmed to write complex poetry, and a computer is more advanced than a human brain so can perform any task that a human mind can handle.
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Then, he says that a computer's consciousness is still unknown, and it is also hard to find out about it. More, these gadgets have unconscious minds like humans, and there are pieces of evidence regarding this matter in every related mail as well. Besides, as extensions of human brains, these devices have been constructed with the same feature of error. Also, that error is uncontrollable, automatic, and rich in chances. Plus, the narrator says that human beings are made to make mistakes that lead them towards progress.
Also, he asserts the old saying that anyone learns through trial and error. So, these wrong decisions or alternatives teach people new ideas or concepts. For example, Thomas mentions a laboratory in which an error occurs by chance to explain the importance of mistakes. So, he says that if an error occurs in a laboratory on a lucky day; it can be a sign of future progress. So, for making progress, an action is necessary that's based on an error according to the author.
Further, the writer claims that the invention of new kinds of thinking or music gets completed by a beforehand argument. This argument happens due to two opposing ideas. One idea is right, and the other one is wrong. Then, the individual has to choose the correct one for creating a new item. So, the author places light on the fact that if there are no wrong choices, the right ones cannot emerge as well. It happens that human beings make the right decisions for their tendency to make wrong selections. If there is no confusion between choices, then no argument can take place in a human mind. Plus, there cannot be an accurate chosen option for not having any understanding of a wrong selection.
Then, Thomas states that the ability to make mistakes as a model for reasonable action is present in humans genetically. He also believes that it is absent in other creatures like bees, cats, and dogs. In the end, the writer brings forth his prediction that humans should make an infinite list of wrong alternatives for organizing nations on a planetary scale. Then, they should turn on a computer for the analysis of that list to find a new way to move on. So, humans can reach on a new level regarding this task and can ultimately complete it. He says so because of his belief that there is no limit of possibilities of future results gained through human-made and machine-made miscalculations.
Introduction of Lewis Thomas:
Lewis Thomas was born in 1913 and died in 1993 in America. He was a physician, researcher, author, and teacher. Also, he wrote To Err is Human, an essay. He is best known for his essays, and their topics are related to many branches of Biology.
Conclusion:
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