What reaction do you have to the concept of rapid cognition, particularly as it influences your activity as a scholar?

As I reminisced, seven years ago I was still an undergraduate student, a student who had totally no idea where to go next step. Occasionally, I was listening to a speech held by my college department.  If I am not wrong, the speaker was from the famous company called Trend Micro. Prior to the end of his speech, he was asking us an intriguing question. In common sense, a butterfly should fly lower than a bird. Surprisingly enough, a normal butterfly was able to fly much higher than a bird or ever higher than an airplane. Why this happened, he was asking? At that moment, every kind of answers came into being; the answers, however, were all not what he wanted. After all, he just said that the butterfly was able to fly higher than anything else in that no one has talked to him how high he could fly. The answer implies that we cannot underestimate our ability. Meanwhile, the answer also gave me the first impression that all what I am supposed to do right now is to chase my dream with the aid of my relentless efforts and determination. The speech is just like "raid cognition" that inspires me that I need to find a way to go no matter what I do. With this in mind, I decide to go higher education with a view to gaining much more invaluable knowledge. I wish one day I am able to become a qualified scholar so as to contribute my knowledge to my college or to my country.

What is your favorite story/example in the book?

There are seven stories in the book, Blink, because the conclusion also incorporates a short story related to a musician. Among them is the last story that I like most in that I played the instrument - baritone when I was a senior high school student. As the story depicted in the book, the trombone was deemed as a "male" instrument which is a kind of stereotype or prejudice. Too often, most people embrace the conviction that seeing is believing. In reality, however, we are very likely to judge a book by its cover including me. Maybe it is just like the book told us: the only true way to listen is with your ears and your heart rather than your eyes. Sometimes, closing my eyes is able to make me think of things even clearer, for things that can influence my thinking are largely reduced. I also like the second lesson of the blink, that is solving the problem whenever you are confronting the problem. In sum, by illustrating several small stories, it is much easier for people to go one step to understand the notion of rapid cognition.

Which CGU scholar is mentioned in the book?

On page 139-140, the book mentions a CGU faculty in Social Psychology. His name is Dr. Stuart Oskamp.

--Justin

1.     Why is the book titled "Soul of a New Machine"?

In my view, the term “Soul of a New Machine” can be deemed as two parts. The first part is “New Machine”, meaning that ever-progressing computers have been invented during these decades. To me, the exhilarating story of Soul a New Machine written by Tracy Kidder is similar to the currently violent competition of Intel and AMD, two leaderships of the microcomputer. The second part is the term “Soul”, meaning that the heart (CPU) of a new machine. Without a central processing unit (CPU), it is like a new machine without its soul. Though, it was written many years ago, I still amaze Tracy Kidder’s special vision, knowing that what is required by most consumers today. That is, a simple, sweet, cheap, efficient, clean, and hassle-less computer is needed by most users.

2.     How would you characterize Tracy Kidder's writing style?

The story begins with a boat sailing in an ocean, which is like a time machine ushers readers into the history of the legend of Data General Corporation. Tracy Kidder’s writing style combines with some real companies such as IBM. On the top of that, he also employs the terms such as profit margins, Wall Street reports, and Fortune 500 business, to convince readers that they are reading a real story. I agree that Kidder’s thought. Computer industries were like a gold rush in that many computer related companies made lots of money during the early period of time around 1970-1990. Track Kidder looks inside every aspect of computer design from general ideas such as cheaper, quicker, reliable, and durable computer to specific ideas such as packet, circuit, chip, time-sharing, ring number, memory address, and instruction set. I believe he must inquire many experienced people to write such technical things to persuade reader that it is not a pseudo-story.

3.     Who is your favorite character and why?

It is Steve Wallach that I like most. There are two reasons why I like him most. Firstly, I admire his extensive computer knowledge, for many employees regard him a walking dictionary and encyclopedia of computers. As a knowledge worker of computers, everyone knows that computer-related knowledge is changing very fast. With this in mind, Wallach should learn and work very hard and smart so that he is just able to become a walking dictionary and encyclopedia of computers. Secondly, he knew what he wanted in his early time. The story talked that Wallach was always looking for the buck. He would get the M.B.A., then going back to New York. But he did not to do so mainly because he had a strong desire to build computers. Sometimes, I also stray in somewhere. That is, I do not know what I really want, going out to work so as to make money or going to secure a higher education. Even I know where to go, I need to select the research topic that I am in favor of, or I need to select the research topic in which I am able to graduate as soon as possible. So many things hover over my mind.

1. Is "Soul of the New Machine" a qualitative study based on the six criteria outlined in "The Enlightened Eye?"

It is intriguing to leverage the six features of a qualitative study based on “The Enlightened Eye”. Some qualitative features are not exactly evident in the book “Soul of the New Machine”. Still, from the class discussion last week and the content of the book itself, it is proper to say that the Soul of the New Machine is similar to a qualitative study. The first feature is field focus. I assume that Track Kidder is a researcher. Qualitative researchers employ ways of interview, description, interpretation, and observation to carry out field research. Kidder observed team members such as Carl Alsing, Steve Wallach, and Jim Veres to build a computer to write his book. Besides, he also described key person’s working style together with developing a new computer so the book meets the first qualitative feature – field focus. The second feature is that a researcher himself is an instrument. That is, a researcher is able to perceive and interpret subtle objects and knows the overall domain. The terms sensibility and schema are used to account for this feature.  Kidder realized the essential schema relating to building a new computer and had sensibility of knowing the complex process of building a new computer. The third feature is interpretation. Of this feature, Kidder evidently accounted for the reason Data General (DG) called for building a new computer called “Eagle”. Because DG needed to invent a new machine to challenge Digital Equipment’s VAX computer. It is primary motivation for DG to build a new machine. The forth feature is expressive language. It is the way for readers to experience the real situation. Kidder employed Wall Street, Fortune 500 these popular terms to persuade readers that it is a real story. In addition, detailed depiction of the process of building a new computer does usher readers into the story. The fifth feature is attention to particulars. Computer terminologies, vivid characters of roles, and a unique event of competition between DG and DEC draw readers’ attention to particular. The sixth feature is persuasive because of its coherence. As I mentioned above, utilizing well-known names such as IBM, Wall Street, and Fortune 500 with detailed description all make readers to believe it is a real story. In sum, from a big picture to look into Soul of the New Machine, it basically meets the six features of qualitative research.

2. What are the similarities and differences between non-fiction, documentary films, and naturalistic social science in explaining knowledge about every day life?

I found the definition between non-fiction and documentary films is vague because film history has evolved. What can be certain is that both of them have narrative elements, telling people a story of a place, an event, and a person. What might be different is that documentary films tell people genuine people and events in the history; however, non-fiction films put creative ingredients, which might be artificial people or events, into real events or people. The similarity between documentary cinema and naturalistic social science is to enhance people’s understanding as to varying levels of social life. Selecting reality and presenting accounts can be found on both of them, though naturalistic social scientists may obtain limited feedback as to their research. On the other hand, naturalistic social scientists investigate and collect selected aspects of social life that could become good sources or ideas for documentary films.