Earl Wiener, a cult figure in aviation safety, coined what is known as Wiener’s Laws of aviation and human error. One of them was: “Digital devices tune out small errors while creating opportunities for large errors.” We might rephrase it as: “Automation will routinely tidy up ordinary messes, but occasionally create an extraordinary mess.” It is an insight that applies far beyond aviation.
- from an article by Tim Harford in The Guardian (Oct. 11, 2016)
Harford's Corollary: A computer that is a hundred times more accurate than a human, and a million times faster, will make 10,000 times as many mistakes. (Tim Harford, author of article)
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Thomas E. Gill, Ph.D., P.G.
Professor of Geological Sciences and Environmental Science & Engineering
University of Texas, El Paso- Geological Sciences Building 401A
591 W. University Avenue
El Paso, TX 79968-0555
tel. 915 747 5168
email tegill@utep.edu
Professional URL: http://www.geo.utep.edu/pub/gill
Personal URL: http://about.me/tom.gill
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From: Gill, Thomas E.
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2016 11:14 AM
To: Gill, Thomas E.
Subject: Weiner's Law of Aviation Safety
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