Alan Kay (VPRI Co-founder) – How to Invent the Future II – Stanford CS183F (May 2017)


Chapters

00:00:11 Changing Context for Innovation
00:05:33 History and Future of Personal Computers
00:10:27 Evolution of Smalltalk User Interface
00:12:33 Unfulfilled Concepts from the Alto
00:23:57 Reality Kit: Unveiling the Power of Enormous Ideas
00:26:48 Mind's Eye vs. Sensory Eye: Understanding Visual Perception
00:34:44 The Influence of Beliefs on Perception and Innovation
00:39:31 Human Universals and Environmental Influence
00:43:27 Genetic and Cultural Influences on Human Behavior and Technological Innovation
00:49:09 Technology's Profound Impact on Humanity and the Need for Educational Reform

Abstract

Alan Kay’s Philosophy: Context and Knowledge Over IQ in Technological Progress

“Rethinking Genius: How Alan Kay’s Insights Redefine Intelligence in Tech Advances”



Alan Kay, a revered figure in computer science, challenges conventional wisdom about intelligence and technological progress. He emphasizes the paramount importance of context and knowledge over IQ, using historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Henry Ford as examples. Kay’s “zeroth rule” – that context is worth 80 IQ points – underscores his belief that intelligence is often outshone by the right context and knowledge. This article delves into Kay’s profound insights, exploring his views on the limitations of IQ, the evolution of personal computing, and the role of user interfaces in shaping technological advancements.

The Zeroth Rule: Context Over IQ

Kay advocates for the “zeroth rule” that context or point of view is worth more than sheer intellectual capacity. He warns against the “IQ snare,” emphasizing that intelligence without the right context and knowledge can be ineffective. Knowledge is silver, context is gold, and IQ is just lead. Being clever doesn’t lead to progress.

Technological Advancements: Role of Funders and Historical Context

Kay argues that the success of technological advancements is more closely tied to the quality of funders than to the intellect of researchers. He points to the evolution of personal computers, tracing their origins to early systems like Harry Husky’s Bendix G15 and Wes Clark’s The Link. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on users’ needs rather than just technological capabilities. The quality of the results correlates most strongly with the goodness of the funders. Funders give out gold medals ahead of time, knowing that 70% of them will turn to lead. Good funders support ideas and give out rewards before the results are achieved.

Smalltalk 78 and GUI Features

The Smalltalk 78 system, a pure object system resembling the internet, introduced revolutionary GUI features, including bitmap painting, gesture recognition, and overlapping windows. Kay highlights its comprehensive and customizable user experience, setting a standard for future user interfaces. Smalltalk 78, a pure object system, was revived due to its similarities to the Internet. The system’s pure object nature enables one-to-one correspondence between logical computers or objects. Smalltalk 78 introduced the concept of objects sending messages to each other to form a complete system, differing from modern object-oriented programming. The system eliminated the need for separate applications, allowing for customizable and flexible user interfaces. Overlapping windows, icons, and rich text were part of the system’s user interface. The system featured a bitmap painting capability, demonstrating its creative potential. Gesture recognition technology was integrated, allowing users to interact with the system using natural hand gestures. The system utilized a project-based organization, with each project resembling a separate desktop. Projects persisted over time, enabling users to easily switch between tasks. Smalltalk 78’s user interface was more flexible and customizable compared to modern applications, which often lack certain features desired by users.

Alto’s Innovations and Modern Interface Critique

Kay discusses the Alto’s introduction of unlimited workspaces and dynamic object manipulation, lamenting the incomplete adoption of these innovations. He criticizes modern interfaces for their brief interaction design and emphasizes the need for interfaces that prioritize user experience. The Alto introduced the concept of unlimited workspaces or “desktops,” allowing users to have multiple projects open simultaneously. This feature enables seamless switching between tasks and enhances productivity. Kay emphasizes the importance of object-oriented programming, which allows objects to be manipulated and interconnected in various ways. He demonstrates how objects can be linked to create dynamic relationships and interactions. Kay criticizes the design of web browsers, arguing that they fail to take advantage of the computer’s capabilities. He points out the lack of support for executing code within web articles, limiting the potential for interactivity. Kay showcases an animation system that allows users to modify the current frame by connecting it to a painting window. This feature enables real-time editing of animations while they are running. The Alto allows users to sequence projects or desktops, creating a natural flow between different tasks. This feature facilitates efficient project management and organization. Kay discusses the extent to which the Alto’s ideas were adopted by the industry. He highlights the partial adoption of the GUI, desktop publishing, laser printing, and Postscript, while noting the limited success of programming, peer-to-peer, and client-server concepts. Kay mentions several innovative ideas from the Alto that did not gain widespread adoption. These include the revolutionary architecture for high-level language execution, the Dynabook concept, and the Internet of machines connected through a software Internet. Kay emphasizes the significance of both stylus and keyboard input for effective user interaction. He argues that touch-only interfaces are insufficient for certain tasks and that keyboards are essential for efficient text entry. Kay criticizes the design of modern user interfaces, particularly their complexity and lack of user-friendliness. He advocates for interfaces that are intuitive, easy to learn, and designed for extended use.

Invisible Systems and Our Tragedy

Kay stresses the existence of invisible systems, including technological, social, and psychological, that shape our world. He highlights the tragedy of civilization in which scientific advancements are not automatically transmitted to new generations.

Collaboration and Technological Amplifiers

Kay advocates for collaboration in problem-solving and criticizes modern operating systems for lacking features that facilitate sharing and collaboration. He emphasizes the influence of genetically ingrained desires on human behavior and the need to understand them for effective product development.

The Concept of Reality and Human Perception

Kay delves into the philosophical, discussing the concept of reality as a filter that diminishes mediocre ideas. He explores human perceptual blind spots, emphasizing the importance of challenging our assumptions to achieve clarity and creativity. Our eyes have a blind spot in our eyes where there are no light-sensitive cells. Our brain fills in the blind spot with what it thinks it should see based on the surrounding environment. We dream even when we are awake: Our brains are constantly creating a dream-like reality based on our beliefs and expectations. This dream-like reality influences how we perceive and interpret the world around us. The mind’s eye is different from the sensory eye: We have two different eyes: the sensory eye, which receives information from the outside world, and the mind’s eye, which interprets this information. Most people are unaware of the difference between these two eyes and rely solely on the sensory eye, which leads to limited thinking.

Beliefs, Culture, and Human Universals

Kay discusses how beliefs create “private universes,” affecting our perception and understanding. He examines the role of culture and genetics in shaping human behavior, highlighting the concept of human universals. Our beliefs form our private universes, causing conflicts when they clash with others. Waking dreams are private, and “alternate truths” emerge from conflicting beliefs. Being a scientist is challenging due to the need to navigate these subjective beliefs. Random events, like rainwater on dirt, can create gullies and shape landscapes. This process, applied to human beliefs, can lead to the development of complex and varied worldviews. Human beliefs are like a pink plane, where we’re unaware of the color because it’s all we’ve ever known. Occasional “blue thoughts” may challenge our beliefs, but societal norms often suppress them. A sudden realization of a “blue world” can reveal the existence of alternative perspectives. ARPA’s work in computing shifted the paradigm from mainframes to today’s world. This transition was initially considered crazy by colleagues, highlighting the challenge of breaking away from existing beliefs. Einstein’s experience with a compass as a child sparked his curiosity about the hidden mechanisms behind observable phenomena. This curiosity shaped his entire way of thinking and led to his groundbreaking contributions to physics. Traditional cultures often view their beliefs as reality, leading to strong reactions to challenges or alternative perspectives.

Challenges in Modern Society and Technological Amplifiers

Addressing the 21st-century challenges, Kay underscores the impact of scientific discoveries on various fields and the struggle of educational systems to adapt. He warns of the dangers posed by the rapid pace of technological innovation and the lack of responsible usage. Upbringing and environment play a significant role in shaping an individual’s outlook and beliefs. Books, as an environment, have a profound impact on the human race. Media normalizes certain behaviors and makes them seem natural. Current media may influence individuals to view violence as normal. Human beings are naturally inclined to be crazy or have distorted mental models of reality. Certain types of craziness are deemed acceptable, while others are not. Anthropologists have studied several thousand traditional cultures and identified certain traits that are consistently present. These traits are considered human universals and are largely genetic in origin. Human genetics drives culture by providing the desires and precursors, while culture shapes the parameters. Agriculture, a relatively recent invention, required a shift in mindset for hunting and gathering societies. The idea of progress, a product of the 18th century, emerged from the realization that humans could shape the world for the better. Oral language and writing/reading have profound differences, while science’s representation systems contrast with stories, superstition, and magic. News focuses on events and occurrences within established categories, making it easy to digest but limiting the introduction of new concepts. Categories take time to learn, which explains why news rarely covers complex topics like calculus. Fast thinking prioritizes differences over similarities, leading to pitfalls in programming languages and the web browser’s design. Human desires can be seen as legal drugs that entrepreneurs can exploit by creating technological amplifiers. Understanding genetically ingrained desires like hunting, gathering, social interaction, language, stories, and news can guide product development. Human needs, in contrast to desires, are difficult to learn and not genetically prepared for. These needs include critical thinking, empathy, and delayed gratification, among others. The 21st century presents a vast and complex world with multiple social systems and billions of people. Technological advancements, particularly in medicine, have had a profound impact in a relatively short period.

A Call for Innovation and Critical Thinking

Concluding, Kay calls for challenging the status quo in technology, stressing the need for innovation, critical thinking, and responsible use of technology to ensure it serves humanity’s best interests. He urges us to embrace our role as innovators to shape a future where technology enhances our lives.

In this comprehensive exploration of Alan Kay’s philosophy, it becomes evident that understanding the context, challenging assumptions, and prioritizing human-centric design in technology are essential for true progress and innovation. Kay’s insights offer a unique perspective on how we perceive intelligence and its role in technological advancements, urging us to rethink the parameters of genius in the digital age.


Notes by: Flaneur