The process of human learning is very complex. We have the ability to turn thoughts into abstract symbols like letters of the alphabet. Letters become words, words become sentences, and sentences become complete concepts. As we absorb information, all these processes go to work in our education process until we grasp a concept well enough to turn it into something new. When machines are used to augment the abilities of people, there is also a translation which takes place on a very simple level known as binary code. Binary code is the primary building block of all computer actions, composed to represent a type of switch which is represented by a 1 for “on?and a 0 for “off.?br />
For many people, it is difficult to grasp how using various combinations of “on?and “off?could lead to the rich variety of computer applications available today. Most developers who write programs for computers can spend their entire career without having to descend to this most basic level of machine functionality. Moving upward on the chain of translations that take place in executing machine instructions, it is possible to create methods that can bypass some of the stages of the human creative sequence. A simple example can demonstrate this. Suppose you encounter a written question, and go searching for a written answer to the question. If you are doing this without the aid of a machine, the human mind must travel through all the stages of translating the abstract concepts of the question to understand what is being asked, then repeat the entire sequence, with some additional steps to recognize and correlate the information comprising the answer to the question.
The legacy of manually asking questions and correlating answers is what has led us to where we are today. Unfortunately, before mankind developed written languages to capture these processes, there was always the constant danger that information would be lost, and would have to be rediscovered by the next generation of people. Now that we have computers to assist us, it is easier than ever to retain massive amounts of useful information, and to recall this correlation of data without the necessity of repeating the stages previously needed to obtain it. Unlike the human process needed to connect concepts, machines do not have to be limited to the same stages of translation and correlation. A machine is able to work with storing, equating, and recalling complete concept groups. The formula for doing this is a simple equation, Question = Answer. Using this simple formula, a person can interchangeably connect with the information on either side of the equation. With this new type of connection, if a person knows the Question, they can also instantly correlate this information to its corresponding answer with the aid of machines.
When taken to a repetitive higher level, we encounter situations where there may be many different questions that lead to one answer, or one question that leads to many answers. Using technology, we have the opportunity to decrease the learning curve by storing and manipulating large amounts of information on a mechanical level. Once the processes of collecting the information and correlating it are complete, we can accomplish far more than previously realized. When the system is available, we can then fill in missing pieces in our understanding by allowing machines to help us gather the data we do not have as individuals. If we only know the question, the machines give us the predetermined answers. Benefits of this capability are enormous. If any one person has ever discovered the definitive answer to any question, everyone who follows behind the discovery can almost instantly arrive at the same conclusion without traveling through the layers of discovery, allowing them to ponder the next level of growth.
In this scenario, it is always a function of human creativity that will ultimately direct the building blocks of any knowledge base system, and the machine that will help us use it faster and better than we can do it ourselves. This mix provides the ingredients for the best possible synergy between people and their technology. It allows people to focus on their creativity, while machines manage the repetitive operations they are designed to perform. Incorporating these principles into software design can result in big dividends for the user community when applied to a wide range of uses.
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