Topics for Conversation

Michael E. Kirkpatrick ·

If you’re ever looking for something to talk to me about — or maybe you’re looking to better understand who I am and the things I think about — here are some topics of conversation we might share.

Computers & Humans

  • How much information should a computer know about you?
  • Why would you want a computer to know intimate details of your life or understand your quirks?
  • If a computer understands “who you are” — perhaps more than a stranger on the street ordinarily would — is that information worth protecting from other computers, or other humans for that matter?
  • Does society or a community gain by knowing more about the people around them?
  • What are the best (yes, I deliberatly chose the word best) ways to communicate between people about ideas, knowledge and information?
  • Should more classes be taught online? If so, why?
  • How can we best teach other people things that we know?