Computer power and human reason

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

I had some strong reactions to Joe Weizenbaum's book, Computer Power and Human Reason. The book mentions some important concerns which are obscured by harsh and sometimes shrill accusations against the Artificial Intelligence research community. On the whole, it seems to me that the personal attacks distract and mislead the reader from more valuable abstract points. I strongly recommend Samuel Florman's article "In Praise of Technology" in the November, 1975, issue of Harper's Magazine to see a different opinion about the role of technology in modern society.