The process of making one’s first blog post is usually fraught with nerves, as it’s the standard bearer against which all other blog posts will be judged. What course should one take? Low ball it and hope people will be impressed by one’s improvement, or aim high regardless of whether or not inspiration will continue to strike like clockwork? Personally, I prefer stargazing to puddle gawking and sandbagging.
As I start to edit my manuscript for this new discipline, Affect Engineering, I can already hear the technophobes yelling at me, “Why would anyone want to invent a math equation to model emotion? That’s just like asking for the androids to come in and replace us!”
To them, I would say, “The androids would be too late.” People must always be the masters of their own tools, or else they risk being dominated by them. A robot is a tool built by people. Emotions are tools most of us come ready-equipped with but not knowing how to use.
I am not building a better mouse trap. I am bettering a mouse trap builder.