The person-machine confrontation: Investigations into the pragmatics of dialogism.

Erroneously attributing propositional attitudes (desires, beliefs...) to computational artefacts has become internationally commonplace in the public arena, especially amongst the new generation of non-initiated users. Technology for rendering machines 'user-friendly' is often inspired by interpersonal human communication. This calls forth designers to conceptualise a major component of human intelligence: the sense of communicability, and its logical consequences. The inherent incommunicability of machines subsequently causes a shift in design strategy. Though cataloguing components of bouts between person and machine with Speech Act Theory has been popular, I will endeavour to present the sine qua non for their insertion into a larger unit of discourse - their societal embodiment. I shall argue that the so-called 'intelligence' of the artificial should to be seen as a purposeful act that is socially generated, because it comes of Man, for Man. Designership will provide the forum for evolving user requirements and interface renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]