TED Studio
Steven Johnson: The playful wonderland behind great inventions
史蒂芬．強森: 音樂怎麼會跟電腦的發明有關？
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Readability: 5.3
1,351,401 views
需要是發明之母，是嗎?不一定盡然。史蒂芬．強森（Steven Johnson）將告訴我們偉大的想法及科技，例如電腦，並非全然因為需要而產生，而是來自好玩又奇妙的感覺下所誕生的產物。影片分享發明史上的演變及搭配生動的插圖。原來，生活中好玩的趣味發明可以是未來的一大改變。
Steven Johnson - Writer
Steven Berlin Johnson examines the intersection of science, technology and personal experience. Full bio
Steven Berlin Johnson examines the intersection of science, technology and personal experience. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
(Music)
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（音樂）
00:16
Roughly 43,000 years ago,
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約在四萬三千年以前
一隻年輕的洞熊
00:19
a young cave bear
died in the rolling hills
died in the rolling hills
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死於現今斯洛文尼亞
西北邊界的山巒中
西北邊界的山巒中
00:22
on the northwest border
of modern day Slovenia.
of modern day Slovenia.
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00:25
A thousand years later,
a mammoth died in southern Germany.
a mammoth died in southern Germany.
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一千年後，一頭長毛象
死於德國的南部
死於德國的南部
00:29
A few centuries after that,
a griffon vulture also died
a griffon vulture also died
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幾個世紀過後，一隻禿鷹
00:33
in the same vicinity.
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也在附近死去
我們對這些動物的死亡原因
幾乎一無所知
幾乎一無所知
00:35
And we know almost nothing
about how these animals met their deaths,
about how these animals met their deaths,
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00:39
but these different creatures
dispersed across both time and space
dispersed across both time and space
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但這些不同的生物
跨越時空和不同地點
跨越時空和不同地點
00:43
did share one remarkable fate.
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卻有著同樣不同凡響的命運
00:46
After their deaths,
a bone from each of their skeletons
a bone from each of their skeletons
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在牠們死後，身上的骨頭
00:50
was crafted by human hands
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經由人類的手製成
00:52
into a flute.
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一隻笛子
想像自己是
00:54
Think about that for a second.
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00:56
Imagine you're a caveman,
40,000 years ago.
40,000 years ago.
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四萬年前的山頂洞人
00:59
You've mastered fire.
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很會用火
01:00
You've built simple tools for hunting.
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也會製造些簡單的狩獵工具
01:02
You've learned how to craft
garments from animal skins
garments from animal skins
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也知道如何用動物皮毛製成衣服
01:05
to keep yourself warm in the winter.
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在冬天時保持溫暖
01:07
What would you choose to invent next?
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接下來你會想發明什麽？
01:10
It seems preposterous
that you would invent the flute,
that you would invent the flute,
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發明笛子聽起來很荒謬
01:13
a tool that created
useless vibrations in air molecules.
useless vibrations in air molecules.
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只是一種讓空氣分子
震盪的無用工具
震盪的無用工具
01:17
But that is exactly
what our ancestors did.
what our ancestors did.
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但這就是我們祖先曾經做的事
在人類的發明史中
01:21
Now this turns out
to be surprisingly common
to be surprisingly common
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出乎意料是相當常見的
01:24
in the history of innovation.
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01:26
Sometimes people invent things
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人們發明的原因
01:28
because they want to stay alive
or feed their children
or feed their children
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不外乎是為了要求生存
或者餵飽孩子
或者餵飽孩子
01:31
or conquer the village next door.
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或是攻占隔壁村莊
01:33
But just as often,
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但很多時候
01:34
new ideas come into the world
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世界上的一些新發明
01:36
simply because they're fun.
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僅僅出自於好玩
而真正奇怪的是
01:39
And here's the really strange thing:
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01:41
many of those playful
but seemingly frivolous inventions
but seemingly frivolous inventions
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很多用於玩樂
看似沒用的發明
看似沒用的發明
01:45
ended up sparking
momentous transformations
momentous transformations
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最後卻能在科學、政治和社會上
01:47
in science, in politics and society.
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產生重大的轉變
01:51
Take what may be the most
important invention of modern times:
important invention of modern times:
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舉一個當今世代最重要的發明
01:54
programmable computers.
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可編程電腦
01:56
Now, the standard story is that computers
descend from military technology,
descend from military technology,
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一般來說電腦一開始沿用軍方科技
02:01
since many of the early computers
were designed specifically
were designed specifically
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早期許多電腦都是專門設計
02:04
to crack wartime codes
or calculate rocket trajectories.
or calculate rocket trajectories.
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在戰爭時用來破解密碼
或計算火箭運輸軌道
或計算火箭運輸軌道
02:07
But in fact, the origins
of the modern computer
of the modern computer
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但事實上，現代電腦的始祖
02:11
are much more playful,
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起源是因為有趣的活動
02:12
even musical,
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非常具有音樂性的
02:14
than you might imagine.
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跟你想的不一樣
02:15
The idea behind the flute,
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笛子的發明
02:16
of just pushing air through tubes
to make a sound,
to make a sound,
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僅是透過管子
推動空氣來產生聲音而已
推動空氣來產生聲音而已
02:19
was eventually modified
to create the first organ
to create the first organ
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改良加工之後成為
02:22
more than 2,000 years ago.
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兩千多年前的第一個風琴
02:24
Someone came up with the brilliant idea
of triggering sounds
of triggering sounds
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有人想出了一個能製造出聲音的好主意
02:27
by pressing small levers with our fingers,
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藉由我們的手指按壓琴鍵來產生聲音
02:30
inventing the first musical keyboard.
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發明了第一個琴鍵
02:33
Now, keyboards evolved
from organs to clavichords to harpsichords
from organs to clavichords to harpsichords
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到現在，琴鍵發展到風琴
從翼琴進步衍生到大鍵琴
從翼琴進步衍生到大鍵琴
02:37
to the piano,
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到今日的鋼琴
02:38
until the middle of the 19th century,
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直到十九世紀中期
02:41
when a bunch of inventors
finally hit on the idea
finally hit on the idea
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一群發明家終於想到
02:44
of using a keyboard
to trigger not sounds but letters.
to trigger not sounds but letters.
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使用鍵盤敲打出文字而非彈出聲音
02:48
In fact, the very first typewriter
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事實上，第一台打字機
02:50
was originally called
"the writing harpsichord."
"the writing harpsichord."
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原名則是「寫字大鍵琴」
笛子加上音樂給生活帶來了
更多的轉變
更多的轉變
02:55
Flutes and music led
to even more powerful breakthroughs.
to even more powerful breakthroughs.
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02:59
About a thousand years ago,
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大約一千年以前
03:01
at the height of the Islamic Renaissance,
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在伊斯蘭復興運動的高峰期間
03:03
three brothers in Baghdad
designed a device
designed a device
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在巴格達的三兄弟設計了一個
03:05
that was an automated organ.
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即為自動風琴
03:08
They called it "the instrument
that plays itself."
that plays itself."
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他們稱它做「會自己演奏的樂器」
03:11
Now, the instrument
was basically a giant music box.
was basically a giant music box.
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現在看來，那個樂器基本上
就是一個大型音樂盒
就是一個大型音樂盒
03:15
The organ could be trained to play
various songs by using instructions
various songs by using instructions
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樂器能自己奏出許多不同樂曲，藉由編碼在圓筒上的點
03:19
encoded by placing pins
on a rotating cylinder.
on a rotating cylinder.
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轉動圓筒，金屬片撥動而產生音樂
如果你想換一首曲子
03:23
And if you wanted the machine
to play a different song,
to play a different song,
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03:26
you just swapped a new cylinder in
with a different code on it.
with a different code on it.
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只需要換上一個新的
編碼過的圓筒就行了
編碼過的圓筒就行了
03:29
This instrument was the first of its kind.
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這樂器第一個被發明出來
03:33
It was programmable.
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可以編碼的
03:35
Now, conceptually,
this was a massive leap forward.
this was a massive leap forward.
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從概念上來說，這是一個非常大的進步
03:38
The whole idea of hardware and software
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這個發明裡面軟硬體結合的想法
03:41
becomes thinkable for the first time
with this invention.
with this invention.
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讓人覺得有很大的想像空間
03:44
And that incredibly powerful concept
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這個不可思議的想像空間
03:47
didn't come to us as an instrument
of war or of conquest,
of war or of conquest,
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不是為了戰爭或征服而發明
03:50
or necessity at all.
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也不是什麼生活必需品
03:52
It came from the strange delight
of watching a machine play music.
of watching a machine play music.
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僅是來自於欣賞音樂盒
播放音樂時的美妙樂趣
播放音樂時的美妙樂趣
03:57
In fact, the idea of programmable machines
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事實上，可編碼機器的概念
04:00
was exclusively kept alive by music
for about 700 years.
for about 700 years.
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存在於音樂世界中已經有七百多年
04:05
In the 1700s, music-making machines
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在十八世紀，能奏出音樂的機器
成了巴黎貴族們的收藏玩物
04:07
became the playthings
of the Parisian elite.
of the Parisian elite.
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04:11
Showmen used the same coded cylinders
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雜耍藝人使用相同的編碼圓筒
04:14
to control the physical movements
of what were called automata,
of what were called automata,
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去控制「Automata」機器人的各種動作
04:18
an early kind of robot.
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就是機器人最早的雛形
04:20
One of the most famous of those robots
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這些機器人中最著名的
04:22
was, you guessed it,
an automated flute player
an automated flute player
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各位猜到了嗎?是一個能演奏笛子的機器人
由一位傑出的法國發明家
Jacques de Vaucanson
Jacques de Vaucanson
04:25
designed by a brilliant French inventor
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所設計發明的自動發音長笛
04:27
named Jacques de Vaucanson.
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04:30
And as de Vaucanson
was designing his robot musician,
was designing his robot musician,
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當在設計他的機器人音樂家時
04:33
he had another idea.
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他萌生了另外一個想法
04:35
If you could program a machine
to make pleasing sounds,
to make pleasing sounds,
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如果可以透過編碼讓機器產生令人愉悅的音樂
04:39
why not program it to weave
delightful patterns of color out of cloth?
delightful patterns of color out of cloth?
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為什麽不能透過編碼讓它在
衣服上編織出色彩斑斕的圖案呢?
衣服上編織出色彩斑斕的圖案呢?
04:44
Instead of using the pins of the cylinder
to represent musical notes,
to represent musical notes,
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原本圓筒上面代表的音符
04:49
they would represent
threads with different colors.
threads with different colors.
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在圓筒上的點能否試試用不同顏色的線來代替
04:52
If you wanted a new pattern
for your fabric,
for your fabric,
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如果想編織一塊新的樣式
04:54
you just programmed a new cylinder.
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只需要換上新編碼的圓筒
04:57
This was the first programmable loom.
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第一台自動織布機就此產生
05:00
Now, the cylinders were too expensive
and time-consuming to make,
and time-consuming to make,
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但當時這種圓筒相當昂貴，製造過程也很耗時
05:04
but a half century later,
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但半個世紀之後
05:06
another French inventor named Jacquard
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另一個名叫 Jacquard 的法國發明家
05:08
hit upon the brilliant idea
of using paper-punched cards
of using paper-punched cards
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想到了一個用紙做的「打孔卡」的絕佳點子
05:13
instead of metal cylinders.
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來代替金屬圓筒
05:15
Paper turned out to be
much cheaper and more flexible
much cheaper and more flexible
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紙張的多種用途加上便宜的價格
05:18
as a way of programming the device.
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在編程設備的發展史中幫助很大
05:20
That punch card system inspired
Victorian inventor Charles Babbage
Victorian inventor Charles Babbage
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打孔卡系統啟發了維多利亞時期的
發明家 Charles Babbage
發明家 Charles Babbage
05:25
to create his analytical engine,
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發明了他的第一台分析機器引擎
05:27
the first true programmable computer
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史上第一台電腦
史無前例的發明
05:30
ever designed.
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05:31
And punch cards were used
by computer programmers
by computer programmers
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直到二十世紀1970年代末
05:34
as late as the 1970s.
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這些打孔卡仍被電腦程式人員廣泛使用
05:37
So ask yourself this question:
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所以，試想一下
05:39
what really made
the modern computer possible?
the modern computer possible?
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究竟是什麽造就了現代電腦?
05:43
Yes, the military involvement
is an important part of the story,
is an important part of the story,
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沒錯，軍方的介入的確是一個重要因素
05:47
but inventing a computer
also required other building blocks:
also required other building blocks:
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但發明一台電腦還需要其他組件
05:51
music boxes,
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音樂箱
05:52
toy robot flute players,
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玩具笛子演奏機器人
05:54
harpsichord keyboards,
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大鍵琴的鍵盤
05:55
colorful patterns woven into fabric,
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彩色圖案編織布
05:58
and that's just a small part of the story.
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這都是故事的一小部分
06:01
There's a long list of world-changing
ideas and technologies
ideas and technologies
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還有一堆能改變世界的想法和科技
06:04
that came out of play:
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都來自於娛樂
06:06
public museums, rubber,
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公眾博物館、橡膠球
06:08
probability theory, the insurance business
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機率理論、保險業務
06:10
and many more.
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許許多多
06:11
Necessity isn't always
the mother of invention.
the mother of invention.
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需要並不總是發明之母
06:15
The playful state of mind
is fundamentally exploratory,
is fundamentally exploratory,
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腦中愛玩的性格
才是探索的基礎
才是探索的基礎
06:19
seeking out new possibilities
in the world around us.
in the world around us.
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在周圍的世界裏，探索那些新的可能
06:22
And that seeking
is why so many experiences
is why so many experiences
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而這種單純探索娛樂的動機
06:26
that started with simple
delight and amusement
delight and amusement
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正是許多實驗的開端
06:29
eventually led us
to profound breakthroughs.
to profound breakthroughs.
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最終引領我們成就更大的突破
06:33
Now, I think this has implications
for how we teach kids in school
for how we teach kids in school
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我認為，這裡面有含有我們要
如何在學校教育孩子
如何在學校教育孩子
06:37
and how we encourage innovation
in our workspaces,
in our workspaces,
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如何在我們的工作場所
鼓勵創新的含意
鼓勵創新的含意
06:40
but thinking about play
and delight this way
and delight this way
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而就在我們這樣尋找娛樂和開心的路上
06:43
also helps us detect what's coming next.
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也幫助了我們預測未來會發生的事
06:47
Think about it: if you were
sitting there in 1750
sitting there in 1750
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想象一下穿越時空回到1750年
06:49
trying to figure out
the big changes coming to society
the big changes coming to society
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十九世紀、二十世紀當時的社會
試想了解當時即將來臨的改變
06:53
in the 19th, the 20th centuries,
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06:55
automated machines, computers,
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那些自動機器、電腦
06:57
artificial intelligence,
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人工智能
06:59
a programmable flute
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自動演奏的笛子
07:00
entertaining the Parisian elite
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為了娛樂巴黎上等社會的
07:03
would have been as powerful a clue
as anything else at the time.
as anything else at the time.
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就是一個非常強而有力的線索證明
07:07
It seemed like an amusement at best,
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發明看起來也許只適用於娛樂
07:10
not useful in any serious way,
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沒有什麽正經的用途
07:13
but it turned out to be
the beginning of a tech revolution
the beginning of a tech revolution
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但最後確成為改變世界科技革命的開端
07:17
that would change the world.
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You'll find the future
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娛樂帶給人們未來的發展無限可能
07:20
wherever people are having the most fun.
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Steven Johnson - WriterSteven Berlin Johnson examines the intersection of science, technology and personal experience.
Why you should listen
Steven Johnson is a leading light of today's interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to innovation. His writings have influenced everything from cutting-edge ideas in urban planning to the battle against 21st-century terrorism. Johnson was chosen by Prospect magazine as one of the top ten brains of the digital future, and The Wall Street Journal calls him "one of the most persuasive advocates for the role of collaboration in innovation."
Johnson's work on the history of innovation inspired the Emmy-nominated six-part series on PBS, "How We Got To Now with Steven Johnson," which aired in the fall of 2014. The book version of How We Got To Now was a finalist for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. His new book, Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World, revolves around the creative power of play and delight: ideas and innovations that set into motion many momentous changes in science, technology, politics and society.
Johnson is also the author of the bestselling Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation, one of his many books celebrating progress and innovation. Others include The Invention of Air and The Ghost Map. Everything Bad Is Good For You, one of the most discussed books of 2005, argued that the increasing complexity of modern media is training us to think in more complex ways. Emergence and Future Perfect explore the power of bottom-up intelligence in both nature and contemporary society.
An innovator himself, Johnson has co-created three influential sites: the pioneering online magazine FEED, the Webby-Award-winning community site, Plastic.com, and the hyperlocal media site outside.in, which was acquired by AOL in 2011.
Johnson is a regular contributor to WIRED magazine, as well as the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and many other periodicals. He has appeared on many high-profile television programs, including "The Charlie Rose Show," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer."
Steven Johnson | Speaker | TED.com