What is a black box?
Q: What is a black box?
A: A black box is a device, system or object with input and output whose internal workings are not known or seen.
Q: What are some things that might be referred to as a black box?
A: Almost anything might be referred to as a black box, including a transistor, an algorithm, or the human brain.
Q: Who coined the term "black box"?
A: The term "black box" was explained by Ashby.
Q: When would a question about a black box arise?
A: A question about a black box could arise when a decision needs to be made about opening an engineering box for repair or scrapping it.
Q: Why might a complex system not be repaired in the field?
A: There can be many reasons why a complex system cannot be repaired in the field, including challenges with opening up the system, lack of understanding of the internal components or logic, or lack of expertise in repairing the system.
Q: What is the opposite of a black box?
A: The opposite of a black box is a system where the internal components or logic can be seen, sometimes known as a clear box, a glass box, or a white box.
Q: In what context might the concept of a black box be relevant in surgery?
A: The concept of a black box might be relevant in surgery on brain damage patients, as the more that can be discovered about the patient's condition before operating, the better the outcome can be.
