
Putting neural networks under the microscope - rbanffy
http://news.mit.edu/2019/neural-networks-nlp-microscope-0201
======
gambler
Reminds me of The tale of the neuroscientists and the computer:

[http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.783...](http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.783.6101&rep=rep1&type=pdf)

Seems like these researchers are using techniques similar to what is used in
neuroscience. Effectively, poke it with a stick and see. Of course, having
perfect access to each neuron is a huge advantage over neurological research,
but overall this still feels backwards.

BTW, neuroscientists did get perfect access to each neuron in some simpler
organisms (c. elegans) and as far as I know we learned relatively little from
that experiment. Don't get me wrong, in biology it's fascinating and
groundbreaking research. But in _computer science_ we ought to do better.

------
m4lvin
This press release does not even contain a link to the actual publication that
this is about?

[https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.09355](https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.09355)
[https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.09359](https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.09359)

somewhat related work:
[http://aclweb.org/anthology/W18-5426](http://aclweb.org/anthology/W18-5426)

