After two days of matches Watson beat the human challengers. And it
really wasn't close. The prize was one million dollars, which IBM
(Watson's owner) will donate to charity.
To equip this super computer required 16 terabytes of memory, hosted
by 10 racks of servers and two large refrigeration units. This
equipment is housed in its own room in IBM's Yorktown Heights campus.
To enable Watson to pull up appropriate answers for the questions
asked, 6 million logic rules were programmed into its memory.
Some may look at this event as the dawning of a new era on earth. Is
this the emergence of artificial intelligence that will become
superior to human intelligence? Will these new super computers evolve
themselves into foes that their creators never intended? Many
shuddered at the computer named HAL in the movie, "2001: A Space
Odyssey". Is that what we're witnessing?
With God's help, I view this in another way. This amazing super
computer helps me to marvel all the more at the human machine. The
advantage Watson seems to enjoy is preprogrammed information and
processors that enable the machine to recall that information when
needed. Though not as rapid, perhaps, our brains do an amazing job of
storing and recalling volumes of information. And we don't need an
entire room or massive refrigeration units to enable us to operate.
Watson is the result of decades of computer science and research.
Where did we get such a sophisticated mechanism as the brain? David
was given the answer in Psalm 139:13,14: "For You [God] formed my
inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and
that my soul knows very well."
To create another machine like IBM's Watson will require many
scientists, much money and a good bit of time. But amazing biological
super computers (i.e. brains) are reproduced virtually every time a
child is born. And these children are the ones who will develop newer
and better machines.
Those who believe Watson to be another step in Godless evolution are
just like people Paul wrote about in Romans 1:20-22: "For since the
creation of the world [God's] invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power
and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they
knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were
darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools."
This is not to say that researchers at IBM believe they are playing
the role of God. But anyone who denies God's role in the design and
appearance of mankind upon earth are just what Paul said they are -
fools (see also Psalm 14:1). Watson does nothing to discredit that
proclamation.
Timothy D. Hall
really wasn't close. The prize was one million dollars, which IBM
(Watson's owner) will donate to charity.
To equip this super computer required 16 terabytes of memory, hosted
by 10 racks of servers and two large refrigeration units. This
equipment is housed in its own room in IBM's Yorktown Heights campus.
To enable Watson to pull up appropriate answers for the questions
asked, 6 million logic rules were programmed into its memory.
Some may look at this event as the dawning of a new era on earth. Is
this the emergence of artificial intelligence that will become
superior to human intelligence? Will these new super computers evolve
themselves into foes that their creators never intended? Many
shuddered at the computer named HAL in the movie, "2001: A Space
Odyssey". Is that what we're witnessing?
With God's help, I view this in another way. This amazing super
computer helps me to marvel all the more at the human machine. The
advantage Watson seems to enjoy is preprogrammed information and
processors that enable the machine to recall that information when
needed. Though not as rapid, perhaps, our brains do an amazing job of
storing and recalling volumes of information. And we don't need an
entire room or massive refrigeration units to enable us to operate.
Watson is the result of decades of computer science and research.
Where did we get such a sophisticated mechanism as the brain? David
was given the answer in Psalm 139:13,14: "For You [God] formed my
inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and
that my soul knows very well."
To create another machine like IBM's Watson will require many
scientists, much money and a good bit of time. But amazing biological
super computers (i.e. brains) are reproduced virtually every time a
child is born. And these children are the ones who will develop newer
and better machines.
Those who believe Watson to be another step in Godless evolution are
just like people Paul wrote about in Romans 1:20-22: "For since the
creation of the world [God's] invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power
and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they
knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were
darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools."
This is not to say that researchers at IBM believe they are playing
the role of God. But anyone who denies God's role in the design and
appearance of mankind upon earth are just what Paul said they are -
fools (see also Psalm 14:1). Watson does nothing to discredit that
proclamation.
Timothy D. Hall
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