The missing human factor

Sully (2016)
Director: Clint Eastwood

This movie is quite relevant in this time and age. The democratisation of access to information and freedom to verbalise has reached such a height that everyone with half a brain is a warrior, at least in cyberspace. With the luxury of an obscene amount of information that their disposal assisted by the ease of artificial intelligence (which, knowledge-wise, coincidentally is as much as its inventor), turns every armchair critic into a seeker of the Truth and a self-appointed Robin Hood of the oppressed.

Heroes are born every day, but most of them remain unknown to us all. They appear out of thin air at the necessary time, do things beyond their expected capacity and disappear as quickly as the manifest. Sadly, many a time, their genuine intentions are questioned and put under the spotlight for scrutiny. Too much trust is placed on computer simulations. The human factors like empathy and compassion which had brought mankind through so many obstacles throughout their civilisation are swept under the carpet. We tend to think that artificial intelligence (AI) can replace Man. We forget that there is a reason why AI is labelled artificial in the first place.

This film is another of Eastwood's offerings to celebrate the deed of an ordinary man, based on a true story. Captain Sullenberger is an experienced pilot of American Airlines. Soon after lift-off from La Guardia airport of New York, both his aircraft engines failed after an encounter with a skein of geese. Despite orders from the control towers to redirect the plane to other airports, the good Captain made the calculated judgement to land the plane on the Hudson River instead. Even though all his 155 occupants escaped injury, the aircraft was a write-off. At the internal enquiry, he was questioned along the line of pilot error for the 'accident' for landing in the river rather than the airports as directed. Computer simulations concurred that damage to the vessel could have been averted if he had followed orders.

In this modern world where every modality of treatment, technology or device is assessed through comparative experiments and randomised double-blind studies, we forget the human element that is linked to the outcome of any endeavour. Lately, the scientific community has also realised that reproducibility is many findings in what is considered as hallmark studies strangely cannot be replicated! Experience plays a pivotal in decision making. Not all world-changing moments can be decided from cookbooks.