Random Reward Schedules and the Ambiguity of Language.

I had the clue from Pavlov: control your conditions and you will see order.

B.F. Skinner, A Case History In Scientific Method.

Skinner discovered that the rate with which the rat pressed the bar depended not on any preceding stimulus (as Watson and Pavlov had insisted), but on what followed the bar presses. This was new indeed. Unlike the reflexes that Pavlov had studied, this kind of behavior operated on the environment and was controlled by its effects.
Skinner named it operant behavior.

The Intelligence in the Chinese Room.



In my  article Digging Beneath the Surface of Grammar, I wrote:

Strangeness And Ambiguity In Language

My major linguistic interest lies in the problem of getting a computer to interact with us humans using language in exactly the way that we do.  It is just not acceptable to any rational human being that they should be forced to adopt a jargon or baby-talk just to get a computer to do what it was invented for: making life easier.  Under no circumstances should we accept a computer operating system or program that has the audacity to issue commands to a human.

Thinking Machines and The Semantic Quagmire



What Is The Semantic Quagmire?

Fraud Takes A Lot Of Brass


There have been many daring and dastardly deeds of deception throughout history.  The daring deeds of the French Maquis and Britain's SOE in the second world war are legendary.

The faker and fraudster, on the other hand, just need a lot of brass¹ to make a lot of brass².

Our generall caused to be set up a plate of brasse, fast nailed to a great and firme poste; whereon is engraven her Grace’s name and the day and years of our arrival there ...

...

Speak Out : Silence is the Enemy.

Injustice promotes unrest. 
Unrest promotes war.
War promotes injustice.

It is not possible to have a productive and stable society in which there is widespread injustice.

Injustice is not just unethical - it's irrational.


Don't be irrational - Read Josh Witten's article: Silence is the Enemy.