Understanding Computers and Cognition: A New Foundation for Design First Printing Edition

by Terry Winograd (Author), Fernando Flores (Author)

16 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0201112979

ISBN-10: 0201112973

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Product details

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; First Printing edition (January 11, 1987)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0201112973
ISBN-13: 978-0201112979
Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.6 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 16 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,780 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #80 in Books > Textbooks > Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence
- #232 in Books > Computers & Technology > Computer Science > AI & Machine Learning > Intelligence & Semantics

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Chauncey Bell

Not Just Another Pretty Face

July 24, 2001

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A few years ago Byte Magazine named this one of the 10 most important books in the history of the computer industry. Flores was asked to keynote the 50th anniversary meeting of the ACM on the strength of the work he has done, some of which is shown here.
I am a little surprised not to find a review here that shows awareness of what this book is and was intended to do -- to turn those concerned with the design of the role of computers in society into a new direction. The book offers a fundamental enrichment and extension to the traditional engineering-based foundations that are used for designing computer systems that is drawn from philosophy and biology. It opens the development of a rigorous new design milleau to the reader. This is NOT yet another multi-disciplinary rumination.
I would say this is not a "helpful" book, and it was never intended as an easy read. It is a book to turn to when one has learned enough about what is really at issue in putting computers to work in human life to discover that the likes of input, process, output, "friendly" interfaces, attractive graphical presentations, and logical flow charts are vastly insufficient distinctions for doing work that really makes a contribution to your clients and colleagues. The book challenges the reader strongly, and is not simple to read. I guess that the best way to read it is with someone else, having discussions as you go along.
This is a book to engage and grow with -- a must-read for those serious about designing and building systems that will affect the lives of those who engage with them.

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Maine Reader

A Dense Read but Worth it!

August 5, 2011

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This is probably the 7th or 8th copy of this book, I've purchased. My original? I have no idea where it is. But it is such an important book that I keep buying them and giving them away. I'm not a computer geek by any measure so what I find useful to share with my non-technical friends are the constructs provided on conversational technology that are at the foundation of this book. I'm an executive coach and have had the pleasure of working with Fernando Flores. I cannot overstate how important his contribution is to moving people and organizations forward in producing the results they want. It is well worth the time and energy and thinking you spend.

4 people found this helpful

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Arnold Doray

Penetrating critique of modern AI

August 23, 2015

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The authors deftly synthesize ideas from Martin Heidegger and the Chilean biologist Herberto Maturana to help us understand why we have less to fear of an "AI Singularity" if research on the subject of cognition remains on its present track.

Pros:
* This book is a penetrating critique of modern approaches to understanding and modeling human cognition and language, objections which are still hardly addressed in present day mainstream research.
* Interestingly, this book is in many ways a detailed repudiation of Winograd's own SHRDLU, a program whose capability in the '70s exceeds that of even present day commercial "AI"-like efforts.

Cons:
* The attitude of the authors strikes me as being somewhat defeatist. Their thesis is to sidestep the (very valid) issues raised by Heidegger and Maturana, by reframing the role of computers in society. Their reframing certainly works -- we have ample proof of this in modern computing. However, they do not outline a plan for a better approach to understanding and modeling cognition.
* The latter 1/3 portion of the book contains dated material outlining the authors' ideas on the "future" (ie, post late-1980's) on how technology can be used in society. Many of these ideas may seem obvious to modern readers.

Despite being first published in 1986, much of the content of this book remains relevant. It provides some answers to the thought-provoking question of why even in our modern times computers have never been thinking.

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Brady Uselman

Wonderful Read, way ahead of its time

March 10, 2009

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In completely enjoyed this book. For starters it takes a lot of Heidegger's work and makes it completely accessible. The book laid out well where AI can and cannot go based on these Heidegarian (sp?) principals. My experience of the book is that it provide practical application for normally difficult content. I referenced this book in one of my blogs:[...]

5 people found this helpful

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David Blood-Deschamps

I read this many years ago, and wanted to see if I still appreciated it.

August 31, 2013

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What an interesting book! My memory of it from decades ago was dim, but I knew I was impressed with it, so I bought it again. I have now re-read about a third of it, and am finding it as interesting and rewarding as I had remembered. It gives a deep and fairly erudite dig into a philosophical view of design in general, and into of the use of computer software specifically. It is worth the read just to experience this kind of creative, assumption-questioning discourse. You might never think of your computer the same way again.

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Luis E Garcia

Understanding you

May 20, 2014

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Reading this book is not an easy task, you almost have to read every page several times to understand the true meaning which eventually comes to surface when one realizes that by trying to understand computers and artificial Intelligence you have to make a self examination of what it means to be human from the design thinking point of view.

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tere

Five Stars

September 18, 2015

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Very insightful

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