Computers are becoming more and more human despite the fact that they don't have brains.
Kenny Felder" a math and science teacher at Raleigh Charter High School challenged students to consider this during his lecture entitled" ""Are YOU a Robot?"" on Tuesday night.
""The object of this talk is to piss you off"" Felder said.
He provoked students by saying they are just as mechanical and technical as a computer.
Students responded to Felder's prompt by pointing out human qualities such as emotion, creativity and free will.
But Felder answered by saying that many human qualities also can be programmed into a computer.
None of us is born with this stuff. We get it from somewhere" Felder said.
Felder also revealed his thoughts on what it means to be a human.
What you allow me to do when I say you are a computer is to define you as your brain" he said. Deep inside most of us is a voice that says that can't be true.
""There's something that is me" that is precious that is special that you shouldn't want to turn off" but it's really hard to articulate what that is.""
Felder said being human means being aware and being conscious.
""There is a difference between you and your brain.""
Felder" a UNC alumnus" began his investigation into defining humans after working for Microsoft to program computers to understand human speech.
The UNC Self Knowledge Symposium hosted Felder to share with students the idea of thinking beyond the classroom.
""I think it's important because asking questions about your existence as a person is really the center of our world - it's what we all have in common"" said sophomore April Williamson, organizer of the event.
Sophomore Lanier Thompson, who was one of about 40 people who attended, said the lecture will apply to her life as a college student.
I think it's always good to think about things and think about what you think"" Thompson said.
Felder concluded by pointing out that the definition of being human is changing.
He said computers will go back to what they were first intended to be, a tool, rather than fulfilling the same role as the human brain.
We are in another shift that we will define humans in more spiritual terms"" starting with awareness of grounds as what it means to be human.""
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
