TED Studio
Steven Johnson: The playful wonderland behind great inventions
史蒂文·约翰逊: 娱乐是如何引领伟大发明的
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Readability: 5.3
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必要需求是发明之母，是吗？嗯，其实并不总是。史蒂文·约翰逊向我们展示了一些最具变革性的思想和技术，例如计算机，并非来自必要需求，而是来自娱乐中不寻常的乐趣。他分享了他对于这迷人的，引人深思的世界发明历史的探索经历。他要告诉你，你会在人类最具娱乐性的地方预见未来。
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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（音乐）
大概在43000年以前，
00:16
Roughly 43,000 years ago,
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一只年轻的洞熊
死于起伏的山峦之中，
死于起伏的山峦之中，
00:19
a young cave bear
died in the rolling hills
died in the rolling hills
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位于现在的斯洛文尼亚的西北边界。
00:22
on the northwest border
of modern day Slovenia.
of modern day Slovenia.
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又过了一千年，
一头猛犸象死于德国南部。
一头猛犸象死于德国南部。
00:25
A thousand years later,
a mammoth died in southern Germany.
a mammoth died in southern Germany.
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几个世纪过后，一只兀鹫
00:29
A few centuries after that,
a griffon vulture also died
a griffon vulture also died
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也在附近死去。
00:33
in the same vicinity.
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我们对于这些动物的
死亡原因几乎一无所知，
死亡原因几乎一无所知，
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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但是跨越时空的不同物种
00:39
but these different creatures
dispersed across both time and space
dispersed across both time and space
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分享了同一个惊人命运。
00:43
did share one remarkable fate.
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在它们死后，他们身上各有一块骨头
00:46
After their deaths,
a bone from each of their skeletons
a bone from each of their skeletons
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被人类手工制作成了
00:50
was crafted by human hands
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长笛。
00:52
into a flute.
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想一下这件事。
00:54
Think about that for a second.
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想像自己是一个
40000年前的洞穴人。
40000年前的洞穴人。
00:56
Imagine you're a caveman,
40,000 years ago.
40,000 years ago.
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你掌握了火的使用。
00:59
You've mastered fire.
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你制造了狩猎的简易工具。
01:00
You've built simple tools for hunting.
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你学会了如何用动物皮毛制作衣服
01:02
You've learned how to craft
garments from animal skins
garments from animal skins
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在冬天为自己保暖。
01:05
to keep yourself warm in the winter.
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下一步你会选择发明什么？
01:07
What would you choose to invent next?
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选择发明笛子会看起来很荒谬，
01:10
It seems preposterous
that you would invent the flute,
that you would invent the flute,
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一种能够产生无用的
空气分子震动的工具。
空气分子震动的工具。
01:13
a tool that created
useless vibrations in air molecules.
useless vibrations in air molecules.
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但事实上，这就是我们的祖先做的。
01:17
But that is exactly
what our ancestors did.
what our ancestors did.
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但是，在发明创造史当中，
01:21
Now this turns out
to be surprisingly common
to be surprisingly common
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这却出乎意料的常见。
01:24
in the history of innovation.
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有时人们发明工具，
01:26
Sometimes people invent things
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是因为他们想要存活下来，
或者喂养他们的孩子们，
或者喂养他们的孩子们，
01:28
because they want to stay alive
or feed their children
or feed their children
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或者是攻占隔壁村庄。
01:31
or conquer the village next door.
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但是很多情况下，
01:33
But just as often,
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新想法之所以会产生，
01:34
new ideas come into the world
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仅仅是因为它们很有趣。
01:36
simply because they're fun.
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更加奇怪的是：
01:39
And here's the really strange thing:
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很多用于玩乐的，
看似琐碎的发明，
看似琐碎的发明，
01:41
many of those playful
but seemingly frivolous inventions
but seemingly frivolous inventions
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最后却在科学，政治和社会界
01:45
ended up sparking
momentous transformations
momentous transformations
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引起了重大变革。
01:47
in science, in politics and society.
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举一个当今时代
最重要的发明的例子：
最重要的发明的例子：
01:51
Take what may be the most
important invention of modern times:
important invention of modern times:
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编程计算机。
01:54
programmable computers.
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标准的故事版本是这样的：
计算机起源于军用科技，
计算机起源于军用科技，
01:56
Now, the standard story is that computers
descend from military technology,
descend from military technology,
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因为很多早期电脑都是专用于
02:01
since many of the early computers
were designed specifically
were designed specifically
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攻克战时密码
或计算火箭运载轨道。
或计算火箭运载轨道。
02:04
to crack wartime codes
or calculate rocket trajectories.
or calculate rocket trajectories.
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但是事实上，现代电脑的起源
02:07
But in fact, the origins
of the modern computer
of the modern computer
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和你想象中相比
02:11
are much more playful,
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更具娱乐性，
02:12
even musical,
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甚至更具音乐性。
02:14
than you might imagine.
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长笛背后的想法，
02:15
The idea behind the flute,
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那种推动空气通过管道发声的想法，
02:16
of just pushing air through tubes
to make a sound,
to make a sound,
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最终被修改并制成了两千多年前的
02:19
was eventually modified
to create the first organ
to create the first organ
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第一套管风琴。
02:22
more than 2,000 years ago.
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有人想出了一个制造声音的绝妙主意，
02:24
Someone came up with the brilliant idea
of triggering sounds
of triggering sounds
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即通过我们的手指按动小杆发声，
02:27
by pressing small levers with our fingers,
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从此发明了我们的第一样按键乐器。
02:30
inventing the first musical keyboard.
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现在，按键乐器已经从风琴
发展到敲弦古钢琴，再到拨弦古钢琴，
发展到敲弦古钢琴，再到拨弦古钢琴，
02:33
Now, keyboards evolved
from organs to clavichords to harpsichords
from organs to clavichords to harpsichords
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再到钢琴。
02:37
to the piano,
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直到19世纪中期，
02:38
until the middle of the 19th century,
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一群发明家终于想到
02:41
when a bunch of inventors
finally hit on the idea
finally hit on the idea
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用按键去触发字母而非声音。
02:44
of using a keyboard
to trigger not sounds but letters.
to trigger not sounds but letters.
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事实上，第一台打字机
02:48
In fact, the very first typewriter
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原名就是“写字敲弦琴”。
02:50
was originally called
"the writing harpsichord."
"the writing harpsichord."
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长笛和音乐还带来了
更强大的突破。
更强大的突破。
02:55
Flutes and music led
to even more powerful breakthroughs.
to even more powerful breakthroughs.
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大约一千年以前，
02:59
About a thousand years ago,
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在伊斯兰复兴运动的高潮期间，
03:01
at the height of the Islamic Renaissance,
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在巴格达的三兄弟设计了一个
03:03
three brothers in Baghdad
designed a device
designed a device
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自动发声的风琴。
03:05
that was an automated organ.
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他们把它称为“自己奏乐的乐器”。
03:08
They called it "the instrument
that plays itself."
that plays itself."
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03:11
Now, the instrument
was basically a giant music box.
was basically a giant music box.
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在当时，那个乐器
基本上就是一个巨型音箱。
基本上就是一个巨型音箱。
那个乐器可根据旋转筒柱上的
突起所组成的乐谱
突起所组成的乐谱
03:15
The organ could be trained to play
various songs by using instructions
various songs by using instructions
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来播放不同的曲目。
03:19
encoded by placing pins
on a rotating cylinder.
on a rotating cylinder.
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03:23
And if you wanted the machine
to play a different song,
to play a different song,
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如果你想让机器换一首曲子，
你只需要换上一个
有着不同突起的筒柱就行了。
有着不同突起的筒柱就行了。
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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这个乐器是同类型中的第一个，
03:29
This instrument was the first of its kind.
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它是可编码的。
03:33
It was programmable.
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现在，从概念上来说，
这是一个巨大的飞跃。
这是一个巨大的飞跃。
03:35
Now, conceptually,
this was a massive leap forward.
this was a massive leap forward.
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整个硬件和软件的想法，
03:38
The whole idea of hardware and software
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因为这个发明，
第一次变成了可能。
第一次变成了可能。
03:41
becomes thinkable for the first time
with this invention.
with this invention.
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那个难以置信的强大概念，
03:44
And that incredibly powerful concept
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并没有作为一种
战争或征服武器出现，
战争或征服武器出现，
03:47
didn't come to us as an instrument
of war or of conquest,
of war or of conquest,
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也不是作为必需品出现。
03:50
or necessity at all.
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它来自观看机器
播放音乐时异样的乐趣。
播放音乐时异样的乐趣。
03:52
It came from the strange delight
of watching a machine play music.
of watching a machine play music.
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事实上，可编码机器的理念
03:57
In fact, the idea of programmable machines
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在700年间，都是完全
存在于音乐世界中的。
存在于音乐世界中的。
04:00
was exclusively kept alive by music
for about 700 years.
for about 700 years.
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在18世纪，各种乐器
04:05
In the 1700s, music-making machines
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成为了巴黎精英们的玩物。
04:07
became the playthings
of the Parisian elite.
of the Parisian elite.
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杂耍艺人使用相同的编码筒柱，
04:11
Showmen used the same coded cylinders
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去控制一种名叫
自动机的东西的运动，
自动机的东西的运动，
04:14
to control the physical movements
of what were called automata,
of what were called automata,
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那就是机器人的早期雏形。
04:18
an early kind of robot.
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这些机器中最著名的，
04:20
One of the most famous of those robots
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04:22
was, you guessed it,
an automated flute player
an automated flute player
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你猜是什么，是一个自动发声长笛，
04:25
designed by a brilliant French inventor
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由杰出的法国发明家
Jacques de Vaucanson 所设计。
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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当de Vaucanson
设计他的机器人音乐家时，
设计他的机器人音乐家时，
04:33
he had another idea.
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他萌生了另一个想法。
如果你可以通过编码
使一个机器产生悠扬的音乐，
使一个机器产生悠扬的音乐，
04:35
If you could program a machine
to make pleasing sounds,
to make pleasing sounds,
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为什么不能通过编码使它
在布料上编织出色彩斑斓的图案呢？
在布料上编织出色彩斑斓的图案呢？
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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用筒柱突起，代表各色的线，
04:44
Instead of using the pins of the cylinder
to represent musical notes,
to represent musical notes,
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而非乐符。
04:49
they would represent
threads with different colors.
threads with different colors.
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如果你需要编织一种新的图案，
04:52
If you wanted a new pattern
for your fabric,
for your fabric,
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你只需要编码一个新的筒柱。
04:54
you just programmed a new cylinder.
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这就是第一台可编码式的织布机。
04:57
This was the first programmable loom.
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不过这种筒柱价格高昂，
制造过程很耗时，
制造过程很耗时，
05:00
Now, the cylinders were too expensive
and time-consuming to make,
and time-consuming to make,
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但半个世纪之后，
05:04
but a half century later,
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另一个名叫Jacquard的
法国发明家
法国发明家
05:06
another French inventor named Jacquard
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想到了一个极妙的点子，
那就是用穿孔的纸张，
那就是用穿孔的纸张，
05:08
hit upon the brilliant idea
of using paper-punched cards
of using paper-punched cards
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代替金属筒柱。
05:13
instead of metal cylinders.
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结果表明，
纸张作为一种编程装置，
纸张作为一种编程装置，
05:15
Paper turned out to be
much cheaper and more flexible
much cheaper and more flexible
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更便宜，更灵活。
05:18
as a way of programming the device.
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那种穿孔卡片系统启发了
维多利亚时期的发明家查尔斯·巴贝奇
维多利亚时期的发明家查尔斯·巴贝奇
05:20
That punch card system inspired
Victorian inventor Charles Babbage
Victorian inventor Charles Babbage
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建造出他的分析引擎（差分机），
05:25
to create his analytical engine,
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历史上第一台真正的
05:27
the first true programmable computer
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可编程计算机。
05:30
ever designed.
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直到20世纪70年代末，
这些穿孔卡片
这些穿孔卡片
05:31
And punch cards were used
by computer programmers
by computer programmers
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仍被计算机程序员所使用。
05:34
as late as the 1970s.
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所以，问自己这个问题：
05:37
So ask yourself this question:
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究竟是什么动力
使现代计算机成为可能？
使现代计算机成为可能？
05:39
what really made
the modern computer possible?
the modern computer possible?
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是的，军事介入的确
是故事的一个重要组成部分，
是故事的一个重要组成部分，
05:43
Yes, the military involvement
is an important part of the story,
is an important part of the story,
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但发明一台电脑
还需要其他必备要素：
还需要其他必备要素：
05:47
but inventing a computer
also required other building blocks:
also required other building blocks:
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音乐箱，
05:51
music boxes,
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玩具长笛演奏器，
05:52
toy robot flute players,
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按键式古琴，
05:54
harpsichord keyboards,
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彩色图案编织，
05:55
colorful patterns woven into fabric,
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这只是故事的一小部分。
05:58
and that's just a small part of the story.
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有一大批的改变世界的想法和技术
06:01
There's a long list of world-changing
ideas and technologies
ideas and technologies
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都来自于娱乐：
06:04
that came out of play:
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公共博物馆，橡胶，
06:06
public museums, rubber,
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概率论，保险业务，
06:08
probability theory, the insurance business
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还有很多。
06:10
and many more.
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所以必要需求并非总是发明之母。
06:11
Necessity isn't always
the mother of invention.
the mother of invention.
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娱乐的思想状态
在根本上是探索性的，
在根本上是探索性的，
06:15
The playful state of mind
is fundamentally exploratory,
is fundamentally exploratory,
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我们在周围的世界里，
追寻那些新的可能性。
追寻那些新的可能性。
06:19
seeking out new possibilities
in the world around us.
in the world around us.
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而那种追寻就是为什么
在那么多经历中，
在那么多经历中，
06:22
And that seeking
is why so many experiences
is why so many experiences
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开始时简单的快乐和娱乐，
06:26
that started with simple
delight and amusement
delight and amusement
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最终却导致我们成就深度突破。
06:29
eventually led us
to profound breakthroughs.
to profound breakthroughs.
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我认为，这会告诉我们
如何在学校教育孩子，
如何在学校教育孩子，
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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如何在我们的办公场所鼓励创新，
06:37
and how we encourage innovation
in our workspaces,
in our workspaces,
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但是，当我们这样
认识娱乐和愉悦的时候，
认识娱乐和愉悦的时候，
06:40
but thinking about play
and delight this way
and delight this way
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也会帮助我们预测
接下来会发生的事。
接下来会发生的事。
06:43
also helps us detect what's coming next.
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想象一下：如果你
正坐在1750年的时空里，
正坐在1750年的时空里，
06:47
Think about it: if you were
sitting there in 1750
sitting there in 1750
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尝试去猜想未来社会的巨大变革，
06:49
trying to figure out
the big changes coming to society
the big changes coming to society
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猜想19世纪，20世纪，
06:53
in the 19th, the 20th centuries,
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那些自动机器，计算机，
06:55
automated machines, computers,
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人工智能，
06:57
artificial intelligence,
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一个用于娱乐巴黎上等社会的
06:59
a programmable flute
140
407080
1816
可编码的长笛，
07:00
entertaining the Parisian elite
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就会成为一个在当时
十分强有力的线索。
十分强有力的线索。
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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它看上去只适用于娱乐，
07:07
It seemed like an amusement at best,
143
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2536
没有什么正经的用处，
07:10
not useful in any serious way,
144
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2736
但它确实成为了改变世界的
07:13
but it turned out to be
the beginning of a tech revolution
the beginning of a tech revolution
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技术革命的开端。
07:17
that would change the world.
146
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你会在人类
07:18
You'll find the future
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最具娱乐性的地方预见未来的。
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