The method of achieving regulation in two stages, by which the
Gene- pattern makes R1, and Rl makes R2, is the method of the
Mammals, whose gene-pattern is used, in its action on the embryo
Brain, to determine the development at birth of some fundamental
Regulators (Rl) whose action is not immediately to the organism’s
Advantage. From birth onwards, however, they act towards the
Cerebral cortex so as to develop in it a vast regulatory mechanism
(R2) that, by the time adulthood arrives, is a much better regulator
(i.e. of larger capacity) than could have been produced by the
Action of the gene-pattern directly.
Whence comes the supplementation? From random sources as
in S.12/15 and from the environment itself! For it is the environ-
Ment that is forced to provide much of the determination about
How the organism shall act. Thus gene-pattern and environment
Both contribute to the shaping of the fully developed adult, and in
This way the quantity of design supplied by the gene-pattern is
Supplemented by design (as variety and information) coming
From the environment. Thus the adult eventually shows more reg-
Ulatory capacity than could have been determined by the
Gene-pattern alone. The amplification of regulation is thus no new
Thing, for the higher animals, those that adapt by learning, discov-
Ered the method long ago.
May it not be possible that the amplification can be increased
Even further? If so, is there not a possibility that we can use our
Present powers of regulation to form a more highly developed
Regulator, of much more than human capacity, that can regulate
The various ills that occur in society, which, in relation to us, is a
Very large system?
Amplifying intelligence. This book is intended to be an
Introduction, and for twelve chapters it has kept to its purpose.
The last two chapters, however, have developed the subject some-
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A N I N T R O D UC T I O N T O C Y B E R NE T I C S
R EFER EN CES
What speculatively, partly to give the reader practice in applying
The earlier methods, and partly to show what lies ahead, for the
Prospects are exciting.
In S.13/18 we saw that selection can be amplified. Now “prob-
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Lem solving” is largely, perhaps entirely, a matter of appropriate
Selection. Take, for instance, any popular book of problems and
Puzzles. Almost every one can be reduced to the form: out of a
Certain set, indicate one element. Thus of all possible numbers of
Apples that John might have in his sack we are asked to find a cer-
Tain one; or of all possible pencil lines drawn through a given pat-
Tern of dots, a certain one is wanted; or of all possible distributions
Of letters into a given set of spaces, a certain one is wanted. It is,
In fact, difficult to think of a problem, either playful or serious,
That does not ultimately require an appropriate selection as neces-
Sary and sufficient for its solution.
It is also clear that many of the tests used for measuring “intel-
Ligence” are scored essentially according to the candidate’s power
Of appropriate selection. Thus one test shows the child a common
Object and asks its name: out of all words the child must select the
Proper one. Another test asks the child how it would find a ball in
A field: out of all the possible paths the child must select one of the
Suitable few. Thus it is not impossible that what is commonly
Referred to as “intellectual power” may be equivalent to “power of
Appropriate selection”. Indeed, if a talking Black Box were to
Show high power of appropriate selection in such matters— so
That, when given difficult problems it persistently gave correct
Answers— we could hardly deny that it was showing the behavio-
Ral equivalent of “high intelligence”.
If this is so, and as we know that power of selection can be
Amplified, it seems to follow that intellectual power, like physical
Power, can be amplified. Let no one say that it cannot be done, for
The gene-patterns do it every time they form a brain that grows up
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To be something better than the gene-pattern could have specified
In detail. What is new is that we can now do it synthetically, con-
Sciously, deliberately.
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