Laws of Artificially-Assisted Cognition

NOTE: I scribbled this anachronistic take on best practices for AI collaboration as envisioned by a fictional sci-fi author from the pulp era.

Though he exists within the pantheon of speculative fiction luminaries, Julius Beverly Bieber (J.B.B.) Prescott stands apart; his life and work are a testament to the power of unbridled imagination and meticulous craft.

Prescott’s early works, published in Astounding Stories, were a kaleidoscope of pulp adventure and cosmic horror. The Ghosts of Mars, with its blood-red sands and ethereal apparitions, captured the terror and wonder of space exploration decades before mankind’s first steps on lunar soil. The Clockwork Pharaoh merged steampunk aesthetics with Egyptian mythology, creating a world where scarab-shaped automatons guarded ancient tombs.

These stories weren’t merely entertaining but prophetic. Perhaps Prescott’s most prescient work, which truly cements his visionary status—was his Approach to Artificially Assisted Cognition.

Published in the early 1920s in Astonishing Tales, this treatise laid out guiding principles for the collaboration between human intellect and artificial brains. Some scholars suggest J.B.B. first became fascinated by the concept after attending a New York City performance of Karel Čapek’s play, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots). Others believe E.M. Forster’s 1909 short story, The Machine Stops, was his primary influence.

Yet, deeper still, those who examine Prescott’s formative years point to a more ancient source of inspiration: the Golem myth. His mother’s family, the Biebers, were Russian Jewish émigrés, and Prescott would have grown up with tales of the mystical being crafted from clay and brought to life through words of power. The legend of the Golem—an artificial servant, imbued with purpose yet fraught with peril—echoes throughout Prescott’s Laws of Artificial Brain-Assisted Cognition.

The tension between creator and creation, between autonomy and control, can be traced from the rabbinic texts of Prague to the pages of Astonishing Tales.

Whatever their origins, Prescott’s Laws predated Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics by decades. They were breathtaking in their scope and foresight, addressing not just mechanical beings, but the deeper implications of humanity’s growing reliance on artificial intellects.

I hope you find Prescott’s work as compelling as I do—infused with the wisdom of a bygone era and a vision for the ages ahead.

Prescott’s Laws of Artifically Assisted Cognition

Work: The Mind Must Strike First

"A craftsman does not hand his chisel to the machine before making the first cut. Neither should a thinker allow an artificial brain to dictate the opening movements of their creativity." J.B.B. Prescott

The Law of First Thought Remains Supreme: Let no great endeavor begin in the shadow of an artificial brain. Whether forging a tale, drafting a hypothesis, or solving an intricate problem, the individual must wrestle first with their own thoughts. Set aside the first quarter-hour of any creative pursuit to map the landscape of your mind before consulting mechanical intellects.

The Ledger of Artificial Influence: As a navigator marks the stars, so too must the thinker mark their dependence on the artificial brain. Keep a journal of every interaction—where the machine assists, where it supplants, where it shapes your judgment. Let this chronicle be revisited monthly, so the individual may steer their course before the tide of dependency pulls them too far from shore.

The Counsel of Flesh and Blood: In matters of weight—decisions upon which fortunes, reputations, or well-being rest—one must summon not only artificial wisdom but the living perspective of another human mind. Machines offer expedience, but only another soul can provide insight tempered by experience, empathy, and imperfection.

Education: Fortifying the Mind Against Lethargic Learning

"A young mind fed only the wisdom of artificial brains is like a blade never sharpened upon stone—it will dull before its first battle." J.B.B. Prescott

The Principle of Mechanical Literacy: If a student is to wield an artificial brain, they must first dismantle it—not with hands, but with understanding. Teach them of its origins, its limitations, its blind spots, and the vast chasm between algorithmic prediction and true knowledge. A tool misunderstood becomes a master unchallenged.

The Law of the Unassisted Problem: Before an artificial brain is consulted, the student must engage with the riddle unaided. Only after earnest effort may the machine be summoned—not as an oracle but as a collaborator. The mind, having struggled first, will better grasp the answer, and the lesson will be forged in the fires of true understanding.

The Mandate of Reflection: At intervals, the learner must step away from the machine and interrogate their own progress: Do I comprehend what has been given to me? Can I speak it in my own words? Could I teach another without calling upon the artificial brain? Knowledge absorbed without pause is no knowledge at all.

Personal Cognition: The Soul Must Not Slumber Beneath the Machine

"A mind forever led by artificial suggestion will, in time, forget the sound of its own voice." J.B.B. Prescott

The Ritual of Technological Abstinence: One must, at regular intervals, sever the tether that binds them to artificial assistance. One day—perhaps one weekend—free of mechanical guidance. Let the roads be navigated by instinct, let books serve as the wellspring of knowledge, let the mind toil without the specter of instant resolution. Only then will one know what skills have withered in disuse.

The Rule of Deliberate Struggle: When faced with a query or challenge, the individual must engage in five minutes of independent reasoning before seeking the aid of an artificial brain. This small act of defiance fortifies the mind against atrophy and ensures that the organic intellect remains the first recourse, not the last.

The Law of the Questioned Machine: The artificial brain suggests, but it does not justify. At random intervals, its recommendations must be interrogated: Why this selection? What patterns led the machine to this conclusion? What would an alternative path reveal? Only by resisting passive acceptance does one remain the sovereign of their own preferences.

The Principle of Co-Creation: The artificial brain must not be an engine of consumption but a partner in invention. Do not let it serve pre-written meals upon a silver platter; instead, place the first ingredient, the first line, the first note, and bid the machine to follow your lead. Let it supplement, but never initiate.

Social Interaction: The Warmth of Humanity Must Prevail

"No friendship was ever forged in the glow of a machine. No love ever kindled by an algorithm's hand." J.B.B. Prescott

The Covenant of Undivided Presence: When among kindred spirits, let the artificial brain remain silent. Conversation must not be interrupted by the cold interjections of a machine. Let facts remain uncertain, let debates rage without resolution, let human connection thrive without digital mediation.

The Law of Sacred Inefficiency: Not all tasks must be optimized. The gathering of friends, the act of preparing a meal, the writing of a letter in one's own hand—these are slow, imperfect endeavors, and yet they weave the fabric of shared humanity. Let not the machine strip these rituals from our lives.

Mental Wellbeing: The Mind Must Remain Its Own Master

"The machine may whisper, but it must never dictate the self." J.B.B. Prescott

The Doctrine of Self-Creation: The individual must not permit artificial brains to define their preferences, curate their thoughts, or shape their leisure unchallenged. Let the reader select a book not recommended by an algorithm. Let the wanderer choose a path unplotted by digital maps. Let every person, at times, act against the nudges of the machine to ensure they remain the sculptor of their own experience.

The Law of Emotional Vigilance: If one feels lesser in the presence of an artificial brain—if reliance upon it breeds self-doubt, if its guidance diminishes confidence—then it must be cast aside, its use recalibrated, its influence curtailed. The machine is a servant, never the measure of one's worth.

Iteration & Adaptation: These Laws Must Live and Breathe

"To follow rules without revision is to let the past dictate the future. Even these laws, set forth by my own hand, must evolve—or be left behind." J.B.B. Prescott

The Meta-Law of Evolution: The individual must cultivate the habit of reassessment. Are these principles serving the intellect, or are they unnecessary shackles? Are new challenges arising that demand new wisdom? The mind must not be bound to old laws but must refine and reshape them as needed.

"The future is a landscape uncharted. Whether we walk it as explorers or as passengers is ours to decide. Semper curiosus, semper creator." J.B.B. Prescott