From: Subject: The Feeling Of Power Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:38:04 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01CA25C3.F224F840" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2962 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01CA25C3.F224F840 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://downlode.org/Etext/power.html The = Feeling Of Power

The Feeling Of Power

by Isaac Asimov

Jehan Shuman was used to dealing with the men in authority on=20 long-embattled earth. He was only a civilian but he originated = programming=20 patterns that resulted in self-directing war computers of the = highest=20 sort. Generals, consequently listened to him. Heads of = congressional=20 committees too.

There was one of each in the special lounge of New Pentagon. = General=20 Weider was space-burned and had a small mouth puckered almost into = a=20 cipher. He smoked Denebian tobacco with the air of one whose = patriotism=20 was so notorious, he could be allowed such liberties.

Shuman, tall, distinguished, and Programmer-first-class, faced = them=20 fearlessly.

He said, "This, gentlemen, is Myron Aub."

"The one with the unusual gift that you discovered quite by = accident,"=20 said Congressman Brant placidly. "Ah." He inspected the little man = with=20 the egg-bald head with amiable curiosity.

The little man, in return, twisted the fingers of his hands = anxiously.=20 He had never been near such great men before. He was only an aging = low-grade technician who had long ago failed all tests designed to = smoke=20 out the gifted ones among mankind and had settled into the rut of=20 unskilled labor. There was just this hobby of his that the great=20 Programmer had found out about and was now making such a = frightening fuss=20 over.

General Weider said, "I find this atmosphere of mystery = childish."

"You won't in a moment," said Shuman. "This is not something we = can=20 leak to the firstcomer. Aub!" There was something imperative about = his=20 manner of biting off that one-syllable name, but then he was a = great=20 Programmer speaking to a mere technician. "Aub! How much is nine = times=20 seven?"

Aub hesitated a moment. His pale eyes glimmered with a feeble = anxiety.=20

"Sixty-three," he said.

Congressman Brant lifted his eyebrows. "Is that right?"

"Check it for yourself, Congressman."

The congressman took out his pocket computer, nudged the milled = edges=20 twice, looked at its face as it lay there in the palm of his hand, = and put=20 it back. He said, "Is this the gift you brought us here to = demonstrate. An=20 illusionist?"

"More than that, sir. Aub has memorized a few operations and = with them=20 he computes on paper."

"A paper computer?" said the general. He looked pained.

"No, sir," said Shuman patiently. "Not a paper computer. Simply = a piece=20 of paper. General, would you be so kind as to suggest a number?" =

"Seventeen," said the general.

"And you, Congressman?"

"Twenty-three."

"Good! Aub, multiply those numbers, and please show the = gentlemen your=20 manner of doing it."

"Yes, Programmer," said Aub, ducking his head. He fished a = small pad=20 out of one shirt pocket and an artist's hairline stylus out of the = other.=20 His forehead corrugated as he made painstaking marks on the paper. =

General Weider interrupted him sharply. "Let's see that."

Aub passed him the paper, and Weider said, "Well, it looks like = the=20 figure seventeen."

Congressman Brant nodded and said, "So it does, but I suppose = anyone=20 can copy figures off a computer. I think I could make a passable = seventeen=20 myself, even without practice."

"If you will let Aub continue, gentlemen," said Shuman without = heat.=20

Aub continued, his hand trembling a little. Finally he said in = a low=20 voice, "The answer is three hundred and ninety-one."

Congressman Brant took out his computer a second time and = flicked it.=20 "By Godfrey, so it is. How did he guess?"

"No guess, Congressman," said Shuman. "He computed that result. = He did=20 it on this sheet of paper."

"Humbug," said the general impatiently. "A computer is one = thing and=20 marks on a paper are another."

"Explain, Aub," said Shuman.

"Yes, Programmer. Well, gentlemen, I write down seventeen, and = just=20 underneath it I write twenty-three. Next I say to myself: seven = times=20 three -"

The congressman interrupted smoothly, "Now, Aub, the problem is = seventeen times twenty-three."

"Yes, I know," said the little technician earnestly, "but I = start by=20 saying seven times three because that's the way it works. Now = seven times=20 three is twenty-one."

"And how do you know that?" asked the congressman.

"I just remember it. It's always twenty-one on the computer. = I've=20 checked it any number of times."

"That doesn't mean it always will be, though, does it?" said = the=20 congressman.

"Maybe not," stammered Aub. "I'm not a mathematician. But I = always get=20 the right answers, you see."

"Go on."

"Seven times three is twenty-one, so I write down twenty-one. = Then one=20 times three is three, so I write down three under the two of = twenty-one."=20

"Why under the two?" asked Congressman Brant at once.

"Because - " Aub looked helplessly at his superior for support. = "It's=20 difficult to explain."

Shuman said, "If you will accept his work for the moment, we = can leave=20 the details for the mathematicians."

Brant subsided.

Aub said, "Three plus two makes five, you see, so the twenty- = one=20 becomes a fifty-one. Now you let that go for a while and start = fresh. You=20 multiply seven and two, that's fourteen, and one and two, that's = two. Put=20 them down like this and it adds up to thirty-four. Now if you put = the=20 thirty-four under the fifty-one this way and add them, you get = three=20 hundred and ninety-one, and that's the answer."

There was an instant's silence and then General Weider said, "I = don't=20 believe it. He goes through this rigmarole and makes up numbers = and=20 multiplies and adds them this way and that, but I don't believe = it. It's=20 too complicated to be anything but horn-swoggling."

"Oh no, sir," said Aub in a sweat. "It only seems complicated = because=20 you're not used to it. Actually the rules are quite simple and = will work=20 for any numbers."

"Any numbers, eh?" said the general. "Come, then." He took out = his own=20 computer (a severely styled GI model) and struck it at random. = "Make a=20 five seven three eight on the paper. That's five thousand seven = hundred=20 and thirty-eight."

"Yes, sir," said Aub, taking a new sheet of paper.

"Now" - more punching of his computer - "seven two three nine. = Seven=20 thousand two hundred and thirty-nine."

"Yes, sir."

"And now multiply those two."

"It will take some time," quavered Aub.

"Take the time," said the general.

"Go ahead, Aub," said Shuman crisply.

Aub set to work, bending low. He took another sheet of paper = and=20 another. The general took out his watch finally and stared at it. = "Are you=20 through with your magic-making, Technician?"

"I'm almost done, sir. Here it is, sir. Forty-one million, five = hundred=20 and thirty-seven thousand, three hundred and eighty-two." He = showed the=20 scrawled figures of the result.

General Weider smiled bitterly. He pushed the multiplication = contact on=20 his computer and let the numbers whirl to a halt. And then he = stared and=20 said in a surprised squeak, "Great Galaxy, the fella's right." =

The President of the Terrestrial Federation had grown haggard = in office=20 and, in private, he allowed a look of settled melancholy to appear = on his=20 sensitive features. The Denebian War, after its early start of = vast=20 movement and great popularity, had trickled down into a sordid = matter of=20 maneuver and counter-maneuver, with discontent rising steadily on = earth.=20 Possibly, it was rising on Deneb, too.

And now Congressman Brant, head of the important Committee on = Military=20 Appropriations, was cheerfully and smoothly spending his half-hour = appointment spouting nonsense.

"Computing without a computer," said the president impatiently, = "is a=20 contradiction in terms."

"Computing," said the congressman, "is only a system for = handling data.=20 A machine might do it, or the human brain might. Let me give you = an=20 example." And, using the new skills he had learned, he worked out = sums and=20 products until the president, despite himself, grew interested. =

"Does this always work?"

"Every time, Mr. President. It is foolproof."

"Is it hard to learn?"

"It took me a week to get the real hang of it. I think you = would do=20 better."

"Well," said the president, considering, "it's an interesting = parlor=20 game, but what is the use of it?"

"What is the use of a newborn baby, Mr. President? At the = moment there=20 is no use, but don't you see that this points the way toward = liberation=20 from the machine. Consider, Mr. President" - the congressman rose = and his=20 deep voice automatically took on some of the cadences he used in = public=20 debate - "that the Denebian War is a war of computer against = computer.=20 Their computers forge an impenetrable shield of countermissiles = against=20 our missiles, and ours forge one against theirs. If we advance the = efficiency of our computers, so do they theirs, and for five years = a=20 precarious and profitless balance has existed.

"Now we have in our hands a method for going beyond the = computed,=20 leapfrogging it, passing through it. We will combine the mechanics = of=20 computation with human thought; we will have the equivalent of = intelligent=20 computers, billions of them. I can't predict what the consequences = will be=20 in detail, but they will be incalculable. And if Deneb beats us to = the=20 punch, they may be unimaginably catastrophic."

The president said, troubled, "What would you have me do?"

"Put the power of the administration behind the establishment = of a=20 secret project on human computation. Call it Project Number, if = you like.=20 I can vouch for my committee, but I will need the administration = behind=20 me."

"But how far can human computation go?"

"There is no limit. According to Programmer Shuman, who first=20 introduced me to this discovery - "

"I've heard of Shuman, of course."

"Yes. Well, Dr. Shuman tells me that in theory there is nothing = the=20 computer can do that the human mind cannot do. The computer merely = takes a=20 finite amount of data and performs a finite amount of operations = on them.=20 The human mind can duplicate the process."

The president considered that. He said, "If Shuman says this, I = am=20 inclined to believe him - in theory. But, in practice, how can = anyone know=20 how a computer works?"

Brant laughed genially. "Well, Mr. President, I asked the same=20 question. It seems that at one time computers were designed = directly by=20 human beings. Those were simple computers, of course, this being = before=20 the time of the rational use of computers to design more advanced=20 computers had been established."

"Yes, yes. Go on."

"Technician Aub apparently had, as his hobby, the = reconstruction of=20 some of these ancient devices, and in so doing he studied the = details of=20 their workings and found he could imitate them. The multiplication = I just=20 performed for you is an imitation of the workings of a computer." =

"Amazing!"

The congressman coughed gently. "If I may make another point, = Mr.=20 President - the further we can develop this thing, the more we can = divert=20 our federal effort from computer production and computer = maintenance. As=20 the human brain takes over, more of our energy can be directed = into=20 peacetime pursuits and the impingement of war on the ordinary man = will be=20 less. This will be most advantageous for the party in power, of = course."=20

"Ah," said the president, "I see your point. Well, sit down,=20 Congressman, sit down. I want some time to think about this. But=20 meanwhile, show me that multiplication trick again. Let's see if I = can't=20 catch the point of it."

Programmer Shuman did not try to hurry matters. Loesser was=20 conservative, very conservative, and liked to deal with computers = as his=20 father and grandfather had. Still, he controlled the West European = computer combine, and if he could be persuaded to join Project = Number in=20 full enthusiasm, a great deal would be accomplished.

But Loesser was holding back. He said, "I'm not sure I like the = idea of=20 relaxing our hold on computers. The human mind is a capricious = thing. The=20 computer will give the same answer to the same problem each time. = What=20 guarantee have we that the human mind will do the same?"

"The human mind, Computer Loesser, only manipulates facts. It = doesn't=20 matter whether the human mind or a machine does it. They are just = tools."=20

"Yes, yes. I've gone over your ingenious demonstration that the = mind=20 can duplicate the computer, but it seems to me a little in the = air. I'll=20 grant the theory, but what reason have we for thinking that theory = can be=20 converted to practice?"

"I think we have reason, sir. After all, computers have not = always=20 existed. The cavemen with their triremes, stone axes, and = railroads had no=20 computers."

"And possibly they did not compute."

"You know better than that. Even the building of a railroad or = a=20 ziggurat called for some computing, and that must have been = without=20 computers as we know them."

"Do you suggest they computed in the fashion you demonstrate?" =

"Probably not. After all, this method - we call it = 'graphitics,' by the=20 way, from the old European word 'grapho,' meaning 'to write' - is=20 developed from the computers themselves, so it cannot have = antedated them.=20 Still, the cave men must have had some method, eh?"

"Lost arts! If you're going to talk about lost arts - "

"No, no. I'm not a lost art enthusiast, though I don't say = there may=20 not be some. After all, man was eating grain before hydroponics, = and if=20 the primitives ate grain, they must have grown it in soil. What = else could=20 they have done?"

"I don't know, but I'll believe in soil growing when I see = someone grow=20 grain in soil. And I'll believe in making fire by rubbing two = pieces of=20 flint together when I see that too."

Shuman grew placative. "Well, let's stick to graphitics. It's = just part=20 of the process of etherealization. Transportation by means of = bulky=20 contrivances is giving way to mass transference. Communications = devices=20 become less massive and more efficient constantly. For that = matter,=20 compare your pocket computer with the massive jobs of a thousand = years=20 ago. Why not, then, the last step of doing away with computers = altogether?=20 Come, sir, Project Number is a going concern; progress is already=20 headlong. But we want your help. If patriotism doesn't move you, = consider=20 the intellectual adventure involved."

Loesser said skeptically, "What progress? What can you do = beyond=20 multiplication? Can you integrate a transcendental function?"

"In time, sir. In time. In the last month, I have learned to = handle=20 division. I can determine, and correctly, integral quotients and = decimal=20 quotients."

"Decimal quotients? To how many places?"

Programmer Shuman tried to keep his tone casual. "Any number!" =

Loesser's jaw dropped. "Without a computer?"

"Set me a problem."

"Divide twenty-seven by thirteen. Take it to six places."

Five minutes later Shuman said, "Two point oh seven six nine = two=20 three."

Loesser checked it. "Well, now, that's amazing. Multiplication = didn't=20 impress me too much because it involved integers, after all, and I = thought=20 trick manipulation might do it. But decimals - "

"And that is not all. There is a new development that is, so = far, top=20 secret and which, strictly speaking, I ought not to mention. Still = - we=20 may have made a break-through on the square root front."

"Square roots?"

"It involves some tricky points and we haven't licked the bugs = yet, but=20 Technician Aub, the man who invented the science and who has = amazing=20 intuition in connection with it, maintains he has the problem = almost=20 solved. And he is only a technician. A man like yourself, a = trained and=20 talented mathematician, ought to have no difficulty."

"Square roots," muttered Loesser, attracted.

"Cube roots, too. Are you with us?"

Loesser's hand thrust out suddenly. "Count me in."

General Weider stumped his way back and forth at the head of = the room=20 and addressed his listeners after the fashion of a savage teacher = facing a=20 group of recalcitrant students. It made no difference to the = general that=20 they were the civilian scientists heading Project Number. The = general was=20 over-all head, and he so considered himself at every waking = moment.

He said, "Now square roots are fine. I can't do them myself and = I don't=20 understand the methods, but they're fine. Still, the project will = not be=20 sidetracked into what some of you call the fundamentals. You can = play with=20 graphitics any way you want to after the war is over, but right = now we=20 have specific and very practical problems to solve."

In a far corner Technician Aub listened with painful attention. = He was=20 no longer a technician, of course, having been relieved of his = duties and=20 assigned to the project, with a fine-sounding title and good pay. = But, of=20 course, the social distinction remained, and the highly placed = scientific=20 leaders could never bring themselves to admit him to their ranks = on a=20 footing of equality. Nor, to do Aub justice, did he, himself, wish = it. He=20 was as uncomfortable with them as they with him.

The general was saying, "Our goal is a simple one, gentlemen - = the=20 replacement of the computer. A ship that can navigate space = without a=20 computer on board can be constructed in one fifth the time and at = one=20 tenth the expense of a computer-laden ship. We could build fleets = five=20 times, ten times, as great as Deneb could if we could but = eliminate the=20 computer.

"And I see something even beyond this. It may be fantastic now, = a mere=20 dream, but in the future I see the manned missile!"

There was an instant murmur from the audience.

The general drove on. "At the present time our chief bottleneck = is the=20 fact that missiles are limited in intelligence. The computer = controlling=20 them can only be so large, and for that reason they can meet the = changing=20 nature of anti-missile defenses in an unsatisfactory way. Few = missiles, if=20 any, accomplish their goal, and missile warfare is coming to a = dead end,=20 for the enemy, fortunately, as well as for ourselves.

"On the other hand, a missile with a man or two within, = controlling=20 flight by graphitics, would be lighter, more mobile, more = intelligent. It=20 would give us a lead that might well mean the margin of victory. = Besides=20 which, gentlemen, the exigencies of war compel us to remember one = thing. A=20 man is much more dispensable than a computer. Manned missiles = could be=20 launched in numbers and under circumstances that no good general = would=20 care to undertake as far as computer-directed missiles are = concerned . .=20 ."

He said much more, but Technician Aub did not wait.

Technician Aub, in the privacy of his quarters, labored long = over the=20 note he was leaving behind. It read finally as follows:

"When I began the study of what is now called graphitics, it = was no=20 more than a hobby. I saw no more in it than an interesting = amusement, an=20 exercise of mind.

"When Project Number began, I thought that others were wiser = than I,=20 that graphitics might be put to practical use as a benefit to = mankind, to=20 aid in the production of really practical mass-transference = devices=20 perhaps. But now I see it is to be used only for death and = destruction.=20

"I cannot face the responsibility involved in having invented=20 graphitics."

He then deliberately turned the focus of a protein depolarizer = on=20 himself and fell instantly and painlessly dead.

They stood over the grave of the little technician while = tribute was=20 paid to the greatness of his discovery.

Programmer Shuman bowed his head along with the rest of them = but=20 remained unmoved. The technician had done his share and was no = longer=20 needed, after all. He might have started graphitics, but now that = it had=20 started, it would carry on by itself overwhelmingly, triumphantly, = until=20 manned missiles were possible with who knew what else.

Nine times seven, thought Shuman with deep satisfaction, is=20 sixty-three, and I don't need a computer to tell me so. The = computer is in=20 my own head.

And it was amazing the feeling of power that gave him.

[ downlode.org etext = library=20 ]

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