SYNERGY
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines "Synergy" as the "combined effect of drugs, organs, etc. that exceeds the sum of their individual effects". The word comes from the Greek, meaning "working together". This idea of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts is a commonplace one, and can be applied to many examples, at various levels of complexity.
Every living organism exhibits this phenomenon to a greater or lesser extent. Perhaps the supreme example is the human brain, where about 3 lb. of spongy nervous tissue intricately interconnected gives rise to conscious awareness with (in some cases!) incredible creative powers and profound insights into the nature of things (no reference here to your Editor!).
Many of us who have been involved with computing over the years have long envisaged a time when data processing (or, in contemporary terms, Information Technology) applications would link together and bring into existence a totally new (and perhaps unanticipated) facility for dealing with the world in which we live. It could become a "Frankenstein's Monster" (a favoured theme of some SF writers) or enhance the quality of life for all. More prosaically, it could bring together a whole mass of data and activity in some sphere of operations in such a way as to transform totally the nature and effectiveness of all that activity.
Of course, to achieve the futuristic type of synergy that one has in mind, a linked-up network of computing systems would need to have the capacity to learn, to draw inferences, model various options, test alternative decisions and virtually be self-aware! Should that ever come about, then the system itself would be in charge and its attendant humans mere servitors and maintainers.
Perhaps at some time in the remote future such a super-intelligence will be constructed. It will instantly survey and comprehend the cosmos, leap backwards to before the dawn of time, bring about the "big bang" and set in train the evolutionary sequence that culminated in its own existence.
How's that for a new Creation Myth and Paradox?
But enough of such fanciful indulgence. Levels of synergy that fall short of the supermind, while providing new and powerful working tools, are on the horizon.
Knowledge-based systems are still in their infancy, but we may expect rapid growth in their development and application.
There is an increasing awareness of the fact that each and every development should where possible look ahead to a successor, and allow for extension and interaction with other systems. However, it will be a while yet before we may really reap the benefits of synergy.
The requirements for our fanciful "Supermind" are an adequate knowledge base, the ability to capture new data from - and output to - the environment, together with the power to make inferences and learn.
One final factor would also be required - motivation. No-one seems to be working on providing a computer with a reward/punishment, pleasure/pain principle! Perhaps it's just as well. Without motivation, even the most complex computer system is merely a tool of man. With motivation, it might develop ideas of its own - and these might well entail the illogical, imperfect and erring human race being put firmly in its rightful place!
