From one knob to attention

A machine that can write or translate is a box of knobs. That is all. This article starts with one knob and school maths, and adds one small idea at a time, until it reaches attention.

You will try each idea with your own hands first. Its name comes after.

1. 1One knobWhat is a model, really?
2. 2How wrong?How does a rule know it is off?
3. 3Which way to turnHow can a machine turn its own knobs?
4. 4Many knobsWhat if the answer depends on several things?
5. 5BendsWhat about things that are not straight lines?
6. 6Words as placesHow do you do arithmetic on words?
7. 7AgreementHow do two lists of numbers say they are alike?
8. 8AttentionHow does a word decide which other words matter?
9. 9The whole thing, runningWhat does it look like when it all works?