Computers and Childhood
Deweyan developmentalism offers a valuable perspective on the
nature of our computational machines and their limitations when
asked to perform some of what humans, even children, easily do
(e.g. generate context-appropriate language). About 10 years ago
I was asked by some people who wanted a computer to write
sensible English if I had any radical suggestions. My suggestion
was that the program needed to be able to learn by conversational
interaction with a human, that it needed to grow developmentally
in a social exchange; that it needed a specific aspect of
'childhood': social learning. Further consideration, however,
made it clear that just verbal conversation would not be enough;
there would need to be some visual and motor interactivity as
well. That was then beyond the limits of the technology, but
modern 'robots' are perhaps capable of having a true childhood. I
hope they enjoy it!
JAY LEMKE.
City University of New York.
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