You’re correct that I’m not writing about “Automation” in the usual sense, but the categories were made for man. On the other hand, I am talking about writing scripts to automatically enter data into spreadsheets. My discussion was centered around the question of if there could be a reason for the Jihad to ban something so simple as well, and I think it has. If spreadsheet-scripts depend on legible signals (and they usually will) then they are part of this problem.
I then mention more literal bureaucrats a few times, as an attempt to show that I don’t mean just those things that are machine-automated. But perhaps my examples were too convincing!
In regards to constitutions, I disagree. So does James Madison. Take a look at what he has to say about “parchment barriers”:
Will it be sufficient to mark, with precision, the boundaries of these departments, in the constitution of the government, and to trust to these parchment barriers against the encroaching spirit of power? This is the security which appears to have been principally relied on by the compilers of most of the American constitutions. But experience assures us, that the efficacy of the provision has been greatly overrated; and that some more adequate defense is indispensably necessary for the more feeble, against the more powerful, members of the government.
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The conclusion which I am warranted in drawing from these observations is, that a mere demarcation on parchment of the constitutional limits of the several departments, is not a sufficient guard against those encroachments which lead to a tyrannical concentration of all the powers of government in the same hands. (The Federalist Papers : No. 48)
Incidentally, this is what the separation of powers is all about! By forcing actual people to compete and negotiate rather than trusting them to follow rules, we can avoid all sorts of nasty things. If you were to accuse me of cribbing from the founders, you wouldn’t be far off!
In regards to the other moral from the Butlerian Jihad, you’re totally right. That’s normally the lesson I would take away too. I just figured that this audience would already be able to see that one! I tried to present something that LW might find surprising or novel.
You’re correct that I’m not writing about “Automation” in the usual sense, but the categories were made for man. On the other hand, I am talking about writing scripts to automatically enter data into spreadsheets. My discussion was centered around the question of if there could be a reason for the Jihad to ban something so simple as well, and I think it has. If spreadsheet-scripts depend on legible signals (and they usually will) then they are part of this problem.
I then mention more literal bureaucrats a few times, as an attempt to show that I don’t mean just those things that are machine-automated. But perhaps my examples were too convincing!
In regards to constitutions, I disagree. So does James Madison. Take a look at what he has to say about “parchment barriers”:
Incidentally, this is what the separation of powers is all about! By forcing actual people to compete and negotiate rather than trusting them to follow rules, we can avoid all sorts of nasty things. If you were to accuse me of cribbing from the founders, you wouldn’t be far off!
In regards to the other moral from the Butlerian Jihad, you’re totally right. That’s normally the lesson I would take away too. I just figured that this audience would already be able to see that one! I tried to present something that LW might find surprising or novel.
Thanks for your thoughts!