3 ms·
Many aspects of the things operation happen by itself. They cut a piece of metal to a particular shape, but the properties and behavior of that metal already ex
by Brian_K_White 3y ago
Many aspects of the things operation happen by itself. They cut a piece of metal to a particular shape, but the properties and behavior of that metal already existed and were not designed by anyone, merely disscovered and utilized.
It's somewhat like the difference between a mechanical interlock and a program with rules that do the same thing.
You could have two solenoids operating two relays, and two extra contacts on each relay to act as sensors, and some code that says if A is on then turn B off, if B is on then turn A off. (pretend for the moment that a single relay can't be both sides at the same time)
Or you could have no solenoids and no sensors and no computer, just a solid bar connecting the two switches with a pivot in the middle. It becomes impossible to press both switches at once, and the function, the enforcing of the desired truth table rule, very much happens "by itself".
The fact that a person designed and fashioned the mechanical interlock does not make the two systems equal, in kind not just in degree.