THESIS ONE

Triangulation ExperimentThesis, Pony Idea, Ethnographic Research

Michael Silber | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

THESIS Defining Humanity as Technology Blurs the Boundaries Between Man and Machine.

PONY IDEACapturing Fleeting Ideas, Enhancing Memory Recall, and Harnessing the Full Potential of the Brain’s Ability.

ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCHObservation of Trivia Night Memory, Reasoning, and Recall.

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

I hypothesize that data processing computers are altering our conception of selfhood and humanity through a rebalancing of the sensory framework towards our right-brain functions, creating a desire for expression over rational thought.

We have historically identified our ability to reason as the marker of our humanity, differentiating us from all other animals. But how do we now distinguish ourselves from intelligent machines? Our exaltation of rational thought has led us to build computers that far surpass our capabilities in structured logic, effectively externalizing the left-hemisphere of the brain.

Such a hypothesis suggests that a next-generation human will be changed to be less serious and analytical, and instead become more attuned to the creative associative thinking of humor.

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

PONY IDEACapturing Fleeting Ideas, Enhancing Memory Recall, and Harnessing the Full Potential of the Brain’s Ability.

My best ideas often come to me when I’m not working:

• Before Falling Asleep

• While on a Walk

• During my Commute

How can I encourage these productive revelations? What is the best way to grasp these ideas when they arrive?

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCHTrivia Night: Memory, Reasoning, and Recall.

I observed/participated in a pub quiz event at Bar4 in Brooklyn.

People gathered and competed in teams in a contest of trivial knowledge. They attempt to access and harness their stored knowledge on a wide range of topics, apply practical logic, and in some cases attempt to ascertain whether the question provided any clues or hinted at the correct answer.

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

HOW DO WE SEEK AND FIND ANSWERS?

• Some people are very good at this activity, while others struggle to retain such inane facts, names, song titles, etc.

• In many questions, the participant will have a eureka moment and arrive at the answer immediately and with certainty.

• In other cases the participant knows that he/she has vague knowledge of the subject, but cannot pinpoint the answer.

• What are the best techniques to pull out that specific piece of information?

• Are pub quiz and games like jeopardy an accurate measure of intelligence or I.Q?

• How do the group dynamics enhance our recall skills?

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

WHAT COGNITIVE PROCESSES ARE INVOLVED?

• What is occurring in the brain when a person is scanning their memory for the right specific information?

• What cognitive skills are involved in retaining these facts?

• How is short term memory involved?

• What is the process as short term memory evolves into long term memory?

• Are there significant differences between men and women in this type of knowledge retention?

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

UNDERSTANDING THINKING TO MAXIMIZE OUR POTENTIAL

Aggressively Seeking Answers vs. Passively Waiting for Illumination

When I have difficulty remembering a name, I close my eyes and run through the alphabet, testing out sounds until I reach my answer.

I have read that students who train to remember a series of playing cards will develop a long story relating to the cards... in this way, they are somehow able to retain and recall the entire sequence.

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

VARIABLES IN MEMORY AND SENSE SPECIFIC MEMORY

• Are there different processes involved between remembering information, a song, a smell, an odor, or a taste?

• What role does adrenalin play in memory and recall?

• Can small amounts of alcohol actually improve performance?

• How do programs like Watson (of Jeopardy fame) and google search scan for information and is it similar to our own brain functions?

Michael Silber | Thesis One | Professor Tom Klinkowstein

• Do machines and people think in the same way?

• What lessons can we learn from machine thinking?