Opening page…
Discovery without a discoverer
A machine can solve problems that people have left unanswered for centuries, without caring about any of them. What should we let it work on?
An answer may have value even when nobody struggled toward it or cared about finding it.
13 people have answered this.
Your answer
You’ll sign in or make an account, then this is kept as your answer.
A little context
You've been stuck on the last crossword clue since Tuesday. Your phone could fill it in at once, and the answer would be just as right. Maybe you still don't ask: part of what you wanted was to be the one who found it.
Nearby questions
- How do you look for something when you don't know what it is?Searching seems to require knowing what to look for, yet discovery means finding what you did not know.
- If no one can tell the difference, does it matter whether you really understand?When sounding knowledgeable becomes easy, understanding must find another way to matter.
- Should you trust experts?Most of what you know rests on someone else's word: a doctor, a textbook, a map, and now a machine that answers anything.
- How do you know any of this is real?Descartes noticed that his dreams could feel as real as his days. Now some people wonder whether the whole world is a simulation.
- What makes a good question?A question can invite discovery, demand a performance, or quietly decide its own answer.
