In science and engineering, a black box is a device, system or object which can be viewed solely in terms of its input, output and transfer characteristics without any knowledge of its internal workings, that is, its implementation is "opaque" (black). Almost anything might be referred to as a black box: a transistor, an algorithm, or the human mind.
The opposite of a black box is a system where the inner components or logic are available for inspection, which is sometimes known as a clear box, a glass box, or a white box.
Famous quotes containing the words black and/or box:
“There are three kinds of people:
White people, Colored people
and Black people.”
—Peter Abrahams (b. 1919)
“I have simply ordered a box of maniacs.
They can be sent back.
They can die, I need feed them nothing, I am the owner.”
—Sylvia Plath (1932–1963)