Posts Tagged ‘Satyajit Ray’

Kompoo – a Professor Shonku story by Satyajit Ray

Posted by Dev Baul - 12/05/21 at 04:05 pm

For the uninitiated, Professor Shonku is a fictional scientist created by Satyajit Ray (1921–1992) in a series of Bengali science fiction books published from 1965 onward. Kompoo a story written in the early 70s is about a computer created by Shonku. When I read it again recently it read like a product catalog of an ‘OK Google’ or an ‘Amazon Alexa’ device – a very accurate prophecy made 40 years ago !!

Giving below an inept translation done by me of an extract from the story …..

Kompoo

When two Japanese assistants entered the stage with Kompoo, the auditorium reverberated with an appreciative buzz from the audience, as they saw the beautiful platinum-clad orb.

That a machine capable of answering 500 million questions would be 1.5 times the size of a football; that it would weigh only forty two kg; that it would not look like a machine – was beyond anybody’s imagination.

In this age of transistors and micro-miniaturization, even the most complex machine need not be big in size. Fifty years ago could anyone have thought that in future all the components of a radio could be fitted into a wristwatch!

At this point, it would be appropriate to note that our computer does not solve complicated mathematical problems. Its job is to answer those questions, answers to which are found in encyclopedias. Kompoo’s other special ability is that it answers verbally in a shrill humanoid voice. Before asking a question one would need to speak out the code ‘1313137’ to get Kompoo started <does this remind you of ’ok google’ or the ‘Alexa wake word’ >. After this one would get an instant answer to the asked question. The questions should be such that can be answered in brief and precise terms. Despite the forewarning, a journalist from the Philippines ended up asking Kompoo to comment on ancient Chinese civilization. Obviously, Kompoo kept silent, but when the same journalist asked specific questions regarding ancient Chinese dynasties like Tang, Ming, Han, Song – Kompoo reeled off the answers in a flash.

Apart from information dissemination, Kompoo also has a fine logical reasoning ability. A conversation between Nigerian naturalist Dr Solomon and Kompoo aptly demonstrates this trait.

Dr. Solomon – ‘Where would a baby baboon be safe

     a) In front of a hungry deer or

     b) In front of a hungry chimpanzee’  

Kompoo – ‘hungry deer’
  Dr. Solomon – ‘why?’
  Kompoo –‘chimpanzees are occasional meat-eaters.’

Now, this is a recently acquired knowledge – till a few years ago it was believed that all primates were vegetarians. < Surely this interaction would pass the strictest Turing test !> [1]

———————————————————————————————————–

[1]The Turing test, developed by Alan Turing in 1950, is a test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human.


Epilogue

I wrote this blog  in 2020—Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) was yet to be born. In 2023 I asked the same question of ChatGPT and Google’s Bard that Dr Solomon asked Kompoo.

 

 

Kompoo

Apart from information dissemination, Kompoo also has a fine logical reasoning ability. A conversation between Nigerian naturalist Dr Solomon and Kompoo aptly demonstrates this trait

Dr Solomon – ‘Where would a baby baboon be safe

  1. a) In front of a hungry deer or
  2. b) In front of a hungry chimpanzee’

Kompoo – ‘hungry deer’

 

Dr Solomon – ‘why?’
Kompoo –‘chimpanzees are occasional meat-eaters.’’

Now this is a recently acquired knowledge – till a few years ago it was believed that all primates were vegetarians.

 

ChatGPT

‘Where would a baby baboon be safe? a) In front of a hungry deer or b) In front of a hungry chimpanzee’

A baby baboon would be safer in front of a hungry chimpanzee than a hungry deer. Chimpanzees are closely related to baboons and share a similar ecological niche, potentially leading to a lesser threat due to a possible social bond or recognition. On the other hand, deer are herbivores and may see the baby baboon as a potential threat or competitor, reacting aggressively. 

 

but chimpanzees are known to be occasional meat eaters!

You are correct, chimpanzees are indeed omnivorous and have been observed hunting and consuming meat, including small mammals like monkeys. I apologize for the oversight in my previous response. Both a hungry deer and a hungry chimpanzee pose potential threats to a baby baboon. 

 

why deer? deer are herbivorous!

Apologies for the confusion caused in my previous response. A baby baboon would be safer in front of a hungry deer compared to a hungry chimpanzee. Deer are herbivores and typically do not pose a direct threat to baboons. In contrast, a hungry chimpanzee, being an omnivorous primate, could see the baby baboon as prey or competition for resources.

Bard

‘Where would a baby baboon be safe? a) In front of a hungry deer or b) In front of a hungry chimpanzee’

The baby baboon would be safer in front of a hungry deer. Deer are herbivores and do not eat meat. Chimpanzees are omnivores and will eat meat if they are hungry. While not all chimpanzees will attack a baby baboon, there is a greater risk of being attacked by a chimpanzee than a deer.

Here are some additional details about the diets of deer and chimpanzees:

  • Deer: Deer are herbivores and their diet consists mainly of grasses, leaves, twigs, and fruits. They will also eat bark, nuts, and seeds. Deer do not eat meat.
  • Chimpanzees: Chimpanzees are omnivores and their diet consists of both plants and animals. They will eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and insects. Chimpanzees will also eat meat, including monkeys, birds, and small mammals.

In conclusion, the baby baboon would be safer in front of a hungry deer because deer are herbivores and do not eat meat. Chimpanzees are omnivores and will eat meat if they are hungry. While not all chimpanzees will attack a baby baboon, there is a greater risk of being attacked by a chimpanzee than a deer.

Notes

  1. Kompoo’s knowledge base is updated till 1970; ChatGPT’s till 2021; and Bard’s till 2023
  2.  At first,ChatGPT gave a wrong answer—a hungry deer would be a bigger threat. On a follow-up prompt, it reversed its logic and gave an ambiguous answer that both a hungry deer and a hungry chimpanzee pose potential threats. On a further prompt, it accepted its mistake but came with an irrelevant answer that the baby baboon would be safe with its mother. 
  3. On the other hand, Bard stated explicitly that the baby baboon would be safer in front of a hungry deer.

 

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