In a way you're exactly correct and that's exactly why machine learning works. The models specify a huge range of possible input-output mappings and then do a d

In a way you're exactly correct and that's exactly why machine learning works. The models specify a huge range of possible input-output mappings and then do a dumb search to find the ones that work; the mappings that don't succeed are discarded. It turns out, surprisingly, this is the best approach we have come up with. > Or in stock market terms, "past performance is no guarantee of future results." Past performance isn't a guarantee, but under mild conditions it is very strong evidence that there will be future results.