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Letters to the Editor
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Discerning Truth in the Age of the Internet
In response to Dean Newton’s message [spring 2005], rather than looking for an “algorithm,” I think we need to be looking for a miracle.
No algorithm can overcome the limitations of the human animal. As the Vincent Cerf quote illuminates, “There are no electronic filters that separate truth from fiction.” Dr. Cerf’s comment is likely based on the understanding that, for humans, truth and fiction are personal interpretations of what is perceived by their senses. Historically, some truths were that the Earth was flat and the sun revolved around it. These “truths” were based upon narrow perceptions of reality coupled with biases to maintain those perceptions. Since then, nothing about humans has changed to improve our perceptions and interpretations.
As with all technology, the Internet is a double-edged sword. You state that, “it increases productivity and improves communications.” That is one edge. You also state, “But the sheer volume of conflicting information, further degraded by valueless and outdated data, now threatens to become just so much white noise.” That is the other edge, the one that decreases productivity and obscures communications. While the functionality and quality of technology has improved, its use or misuse still depends on the user.
Before an electronic filter could be built, some means of testing the accuracy of the filter would first have to be devised. But upon what existing process of data verification would such a test system be based?
I have never been involved with any aspect of publishing in an academic environment. However, it is my understanding that the process of peer review is used to substantiate the originality and usefulness of scholarly work. If the work does not pass the rigorous review process, it is not published. Yet I have read many articles of published work that have later been discovered to be plagiarized. Somehow the work was published in spite of the talents of the reviewers.
While there are limitations to the peer review process, would not being able to stamp some Internet information as “reviewed,” with a review date and the names of the reviewers, “help users gauge the reliability of data found on the Web”?
An electronic filter, to detect derivative information, would first need to have all data digitized in order to make comparisons. That has yet to be accomplished. It would take massive central processing unit and input/output capabilities to make the comparisons. Another problem would be identifying the true source. As we know with patents, inventions are sometimes stolen and patented by the thief long before the inventor ever acknowledges his or her invention. If the filter cannot be certain about the source, we still have some risk, which leaves us back at your first step, as even the least amount of risk still leaves a gap in trust.
Not being an engineer, I cannot take this any further; but your challenge captured my attention. Thanks for the opportunity to ponder ideas other than my own.
BOB SPETH
Yuba City, California (B.A.’70 CS)
Words of Wisdom
In response to Dean Newton’s message that appeared in the last issue, you have written a few well-chosen and much needed words. Congratulations.
DICK SHUEY
Schenectady, NY (M.S.’47, Ph.D.’50 EECS)
Water, Water Everywhere
I would like to compliment you on the spring 2005 issue of Forefront. It contained a lot of news about water, which I found extremely interesting. I would like to pass on some information that might be of interest to your audience pertaining to Berkeley’s Water Resources Center Archives (WRCA).
The WRCA hosts the California Colloquium on Water four times each semester. This is an interdisciplinary lecture series, usually held once a month while school is in session, designed to educate people about water from many different perspectives: natural resources, humanities, law, physical sciences, engineering, etc. The fall series is sponsored by the College of Engineering, Vice Chancellor and Provost Paul Gray, and several other UCB deans. Lectures are free and open to the public.
The WRCA itself is a unique collection of materials pertaining to the state’s water resources. For example, we just completed a grant to digitize over 800 photographs of the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and we have extensive documentation about prominent former faculty, including Joe Johnson, M.P. O’Brien, Etcheverry, Hans Albert Einstein, Professor Robert L. Wiegel, and Charles Derleth, to name a few. Go to www.lib.berkeley.edu/WRCA/ for more details on our collection and location.
LINDA VIDA
Director, Water Resources Center Archives
Berkeley (B.A. ’82 Art History, M.L.S.’83 Library Sciences)
Write to us at forefront@coe.berkeley.edu or send your letters to Forefront letters, 1925 Walnut St., #1704, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1704. Please include the writer’s name. Note that we cannot include all letters received, and those published may be edited for length and clarity. |
