I think intelligence is a continuum from not very intelligent to very intelligent. I guess a bimetallic strip would be at the bottom end of the scale above a lump of coal but below Einstein. At least in thermostat form it can keep something stable in contrast to say Turkey and it's currency as mentioned in another HN thread today. Maybe they could rig a bimetallic strip to raise or lower interest rates with a heat input driven somehow by consumer prices? They could then use that to replace Erdogan.
