Two more papers by Warren McCulloch
As a neurophysiologist and cybernetician, Warren McCulloch introduced many new ideas into the popular lexicon and furthered the realm of cybernetics. But among that, he also brought up several ethical questions about the role of machines in human society. The paper on the left touches on “the mind-like behavior” of robots, while the one on the right, in no small amount of flowery language, touches on themes of the unknown aspects of the human brain and people governing their own bodies with cybernetics.
Christian White:
“It’s that same dilemma, which again, these brilliant people doing this work so long ago, before the technical possibilities of realizing it were present. They were nonetheless aware of as a risk of what happens when you can’t tell the difference between people and computers? And again, we’re in the mid 1950s. Computing power is so limited at this time. But nonetheless, the theory of all of this is already being worked through. And McCulloch is absolutely central to that at MIT.”
