Does not compute
Encyclopedia
"Does not compute", and variations on it, is a phrase often spoken by computer
s, robot
s and other artificial intelligence
s in science fiction
works of the 1960s to 1980s. The phrase indicated cognitive dissonance
on the part of the device, conventionally leading to its self-destruct
ion.
According to The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, the phrase was first used as a catchphrase by the television show My Living Doll
in 1964. It was then popularised in Lost in Space
(1965), along with "Affirmative!", "Warning! Warning!" and "Danger, Will Robinson
!"
The phrase "does not compute" and robots who self-destruct when considering emotions or paradoxes is frequently satirized in popular culture.
of the superiority of human emotion
over limitations within the logic
utilized by machines. Despite computers' superior ability at calculation and information processing, their lack of emotion or randomness made them unable to resolve cognitive dissonance
, which they often expressed with the phrase "Does not compute." It was usually the computer's response to information which it had received but could not reconcile with other information it already held to be true. It could also be seen as a depiction of the limited (and thus flawed) nature of a machine's programming; due to its pre-programmed nature, it would be unable to adapt itself to circumstances beyond the scope of its programming, as opposed to humans who could adapt to such unforeseen events.
As mentioned, perhaps the best known use of the phrase is in the TV series Lost in Space where the Robot often says "It does not compute!" to which Dr Smith might reply "What do you mean it doesn't compute you ninny!" or something similar. However the Robot never shut down or exploded, it simply refused to continue working until a more logical command was given.
In some cases, presenting a computer or robot with such a contradiction caused it to violently self-destruct. This occurs in several episodes of the original series of Star Trek
(e.g. "I, Mudd", "Requiem for Methuselah", "The Return of the Archons" and "The Changeling
"), as well as in the finale to Logan's Run
. In the episode of the 1968 television series The Prisoner
entitled The General
, Patrick McGoohan
causes a supercomputer to explode by feeding it the question "Why?".
Such depictions reflect common perceptions of real computers at the time, which usually lacked friendly user interface
s. Computers often responded to bad input with an error message on the same order of utility as "does not compute", although self-destruction was an unlikely result from bad inputs or insoluble problems fed into the computer. The concept of a "killer poke
", however, refers to user input intended to induce hardware damage. See also "Halt and Catch Fire
".
Although not using the phrase "does not compute", the short story
"Liar!
" (1941) by Isaac Asimov
is a striking early example of cognitive dissonance leading to a robot's self-destruction: that whether it lies, tells the truth or says nothing, it will cause humans injury, so being unable to avoid breaking Asimov's First Law Of Robotics
: "A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm." This example is a more sophisticated treatment of cognitive dissonance leading to self-destruction than most examples from later television science fiction. Asimov explored the theme of AI cognitive dissonance at length in his robot stories.
In the Doctor Who
story "The Green Death
", the Doctor
attempts to put the computer BOSS, which claims to be infallible using the Liar Paradox
. BOSS suffers from confusion as he tries to resolve the paradox
but returns to normality when the arrival of other characters causes a context switch.
By the 1990s, with the rise of personal computers and the graphical user interface
, the public conception of computers became more friendly and sophisticated, and the image of the computer intelligence unable to respond gracefully to unexpected inputs has gradually faded away from fiction, though the phrase did show up in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
as comic relief in 1999. It re-appeared in the CGI
series Star Wars: The Clone Wars
in an episode on the planet Ryloth, when a number of Twi'Lek characters attacked a robotic General, much to the robots' fatal surprise.
The Star Trek franchise once again used a variation of the phrase in the 2009 film Star Trek, in which the character James T. Kirk
used the phrase to goad Spock
(a character known for his propensity for logic) to anger, in order to make the latter realize that he was emotionally compromised.
In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
, one computer developed the ability to pose paradoxes to other computers, causing one computer to go in a corner and sit, pondering "Does not compute."
In an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures
, Warriors Of Kudlak: Part 2, the computer Mistress responds to the news of peace with "Peace does not compute", as it was only programmed for war situations.
In a Futurama
episode, Leela's attempt to thwart Robot Santa with a paradox was stopped by his "paradox-absorbing crumple zones". In addition, the robot character Bender referred to the phrase as an "old robot saying" in A Taste of Freedom
. In A Fishful of Dollars
, Fry asks for anchovies (extinct in the Futurama universe) which eventually makes a chef-robot repeat "Does not compute" before exploding.
In the Red Dwarf
episode, The Last Day
, the android Hudzen is told by Kryten
that silicon heaven does not exist. Hudzen, a believer in the android afterlife, cannot reconcile the contradiction and shuts down. (Kryten, also an android, is not harmed by this dissonance, as he believes he is simply lying.)
In Prince
s album 1999 is featured the song "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)".
The Simpsons
writers often parody this phrase and its implications. In one episode, Homer said he wanted to make a robot repeat the words "It does not compute" until it exploded by giving it illogical commands. In the episode Trilogy of Error
, Lisa's school project, a grammar-fixing robot, explodes after hearing too much bad grammar from the mobsters led by Fat Tony. The robot repeats the phrase "Bad grammar overload!" as a parody of the original phrase. In Treehouse of Horror XIX
, there is the following dialogue:
Destructicus: That does not compute.
Marge: (sternly) Really?
Destructicus: Well, it computes a little.
In The IT crowd
episode The Dinner Party, the phrase is said by Jessica, one of Jen's friends, to Moss.
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s, robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s and other artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
s in science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
works of the 1960s to 1980s. The phrase indicated cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is a discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions. Dissonance is also reduced by justifying,...
on the part of the device, conventionally leading to its self-destruct
Self-destruct
A self-destruct is a mechanism which causes a device to destroy itself under a predefined set of circumstances.Self-destruct mechanisms are also found on devices and systems where malfunction could endanger large numbers of people...
ion.
According to The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, the phrase was first used as a catchphrase by the television show My Living Doll
My Living Doll
My Living Doll is an American science fiction sitcom that aired for 26 episodes on CBS from September 27, 1964 to September 8, 1965. This series was produced by Jack Chertok and was filmed at Desilu studios by Jack Chertok Television, Inc., in association with the CBS Television Network...
in 1964. It was then popularised in Lost in Space
Lost in Space
Lost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
(1965), along with "Affirmative!", "Warning! Warning!" and "Danger, Will Robinson
Danger, Will Robinson
“Danger, Will Robinson!” is a catchphrase from the 1960s’ American television series Lost in Space spoken by voice actor Dick Tufeld. The Robot, acting as a surrogate guardian, says this to young Will Robinson when the boy is unaware of an impending threat. In everyday use, the phrase warns someone...
!"
The phrase "does not compute" and robots who self-destruct when considering emotions or paradoxes is frequently satirized in popular culture.
Use of the phrase
The phrase was often present in stories which carried a themeTheme (literature)
A theme is a broad, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Along with plot, character,...
of the superiority of human emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
over limitations within the logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
utilized by machines. Despite computers' superior ability at calculation and information processing, their lack of emotion or randomness made them unable to resolve cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is a discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions. Dissonance is also reduced by justifying,...
, which they often expressed with the phrase "Does not compute." It was usually the computer's response to information which it had received but could not reconcile with other information it already held to be true. It could also be seen as a depiction of the limited (and thus flawed) nature of a machine's programming; due to its pre-programmed nature, it would be unable to adapt itself to circumstances beyond the scope of its programming, as opposed to humans who could adapt to such unforeseen events.
As mentioned, perhaps the best known use of the phrase is in the TV series Lost in Space where the Robot often says "It does not compute!" to which Dr Smith might reply "What do you mean it doesn't compute you ninny!" or something similar. However the Robot never shut down or exploded, it simply refused to continue working until a more logical command was given.
In some cases, presenting a computer or robot with such a contradiction caused it to violently self-destruct. This occurs in several episodes of the original series of Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
(e.g. "I, Mudd", "Requiem for Methuselah", "The Return of the Archons" and "The Changeling
The Changeling (TOS episode)
"The Changeling" is a season two episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, first broadcast on September 29, 1967 and repeated May 17, 1968. It is episode #32, production #37 and was written by John Meredyth Lucas, and directed by Marc Daniels....
"), as well as in the finale to Logan's Run
Logan's Run
Logan's Run is a novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, it depicts a dystopic ageist future society in which both population and the consumption of resources are maintained in equilibrium by requiring the death of everyone reaching a particular age...
. In the episode of the 1968 television series The Prisoner
The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a 17-episode British television series first broadcast in the UK from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968. Starring and co-created by Patrick McGoohan, it combined spy fiction with elements of science fiction, allegory and psychological drama.The series follows a British former...
entitled The General
The General (The Prisoner)
The General is the sixth episode of the television series The Prisoner. The central themes of this episode are rote learning and indoctrination.-Synopsis:...
, Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan
Patrick Joseph McGoohan was an American-born actor, raised in Ireland and England, with an extensive stage and film career, most notably in the 1960s television series Danger Man , and The Prisoner, which he co-created...
causes a supercomputer to explode by feeding it the question "Why?".
Such depictions reflect common perceptions of real computers at the time, which usually lacked friendly user interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
s. Computers often responded to bad input with an error message on the same order of utility as "does not compute", although self-destruction was an unlikely result from bad inputs or insoluble problems fed into the computer. The concept of a "killer poke
Killer poke
In computer jargon, a killer poke is a method of inducing physical hardware damage on a machine and/or its peripherals by the insertion of invalid values, via e.g. BASICs POKE command, into a memory-mapped control register...
", however, refers to user input intended to induce hardware damage. See also "Halt and Catch Fire
Halt and Catch Fire
Halt and Catch Fire, known by the mnemonic HCF, refers to several computer machine code instructions that cause the CPU to cease meaningful operation...
".
Although not using the phrase "does not compute", the short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"Liar!
Liar!
"Liar!" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the May 1941 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and was reprinted in the collections I, Robot and The Complete Robot . It was Asimov's third published positronic robot story...
" (1941) by Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
is a striking early example of cognitive dissonance leading to a robot's self-destruction: that whether it lies, tells the truth or says nothing, it will cause humans injury, so being unable to avoid breaking Asimov's First Law Of Robotics
Three Laws of Robotics
The Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
: "A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm." This example is a more sophisticated treatment of cognitive dissonance leading to self-destruction than most examples from later television science fiction. Asimov explored the theme of AI cognitive dissonance at length in his robot stories.
In the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
story "The Green Death
The Green Death
The Green Death is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast in six weekly parts from 19 May 1973 to 23 June 1973. It was the last to feature Katy Manning as companion Jo Grant in Doctor Who...
", the Doctor
Third Doctor
The Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
attempts to put the computer BOSS, which claims to be infallible using the Liar Paradox
Liar paradox
In philosophy and logic, the liar paradox or liar's paradox , is the statement "this sentence is false"...
. BOSS suffers from confusion as he tries to resolve the paradox
Paradox
Similar to Circular reasoning, A paradox is a seemingly true statement or group of statements that lead to a contradiction or a situation which seems to defy logic or intuition...
but returns to normality when the arrival of other characters causes a context switch.
By the 1990s, with the rise of personal computers and the graphical user interface
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
, the public conception of computers became more friendly and sophisticated, and the image of the computer intelligence unable to respond gracefully to unexpected inputs has gradually faded away from fiction, though the phrase did show up in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
as comic relief in 1999. It re-appeared in the CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
series Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)
-Production:At April 2005's Star Wars Celebration III, Lucas stated that "we are working on a 3-D continuation of the pilot series that was on the Cartoon Network; we probably won't start that project for another year." In July 2005, pre-production had begun on the series, according to Steve...
in an episode on the planet Ryloth, when a number of Twi'Lek characters attacked a robotic General, much to the robots' fatal surprise.
The Star Trek franchise once again used a variation of the phrase in the 2009 film Star Trek, in which the character James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
used the phrase to goad Spock
Spock
Spock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
(a character known for his propensity for logic) to anger, in order to make the latter realize that he was emotionally compromised.
In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
is an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
, one computer developed the ability to pose paradoxes to other computers, causing one computer to go in a corner and sit, pondering "Does not compute."
In an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
, Warriors Of Kudlak: Part 2, the computer Mistress responds to the news of peace with "Peace does not compute", as it was only programmed for war situations.
In a Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
episode, Leela's attempt to thwart Robot Santa with a paradox was stopped by his "paradox-absorbing crumple zones". In addition, the robot character Bender referred to the phrase as an "old robot saying" in A Taste of Freedom
A Taste of Freedom
"A Taste of Freedom" is the fifth episode of the fourth production season of Futurama.-Plot summary:The crew celebrates Freedom Day, a day where you can do anything you want, regardless of the consequences. Dr. Zoidberg seems passionate about the holiday, as he loves the idea of freedom, something...
. In A Fishful of Dollars
A Fishful of Dollars
"A Fishful of Dollars" is episode six in the first season of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on April 27, 1999. The episode was written by Patric Verrone and directed by Ron Hughart and Gregg Vanzo. Pamela Anderson guest stars as her own preserved head in a jar. This episode marks...
, Fry asks for anchovies (extinct in the Futurama universe) which eventually makes a chef-robot repeat "Does not compute" before exploding.
In the Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
episode, The Last Day
The Last Day
"The Last Day" is the sixth, and last, episode of science fiction sit-com Red Dwarf Series III, and the eighteenth in the series run. It premiered on the British television channel BBC2 on 19 December 1989. Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye, the story is about Kryten's...
, the android Hudzen is told by Kryten
Kryten
Kryten is a fictional character in the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kryten's registration code on Red Dwarf is "Kryten additional 001". The name Kryten is a reference to the head butler in the J.M...
that silicon heaven does not exist. Hudzen, a believer in the android afterlife, cannot reconcile the contradiction and shuts down. (Kryten, also an android, is not harmed by this dissonance, as he believes he is simply lying.)
In Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
s album 1999 is featured the song "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)".
The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
writers often parody this phrase and its implications. In one episode, Homer said he wanted to make a robot repeat the words "It does not compute" until it exploded by giving it illogical commands. In the episode Trilogy of Error
Trilogy of Error
"Trilogy of Error" is the eighteenth episode of the twelfth season, and the 266th overall, of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was originally aired on April 29, 2001 by the Fox Broadcasting Company...
, Lisa's school project, a grammar-fixing robot, explodes after hearing too much bad grammar from the mobsters led by Fat Tony. The robot repeats the phrase "Bad grammar overload!" as a parody of the original phrase. In Treehouse of Horror XIX
Treehouse of Horror XIX
"Treehouse of Horror XIX" is the fourth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 2, 2008...
, there is the following dialogue:
Destructicus: That does not compute.
Marge: (sternly) Really?
Destructicus: Well, it computes a little.
In The IT crowd
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4, written by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry...
episode The Dinner Party, the phrase is said by Jessica, one of Jen's friends, to Moss.