Fall from Grace

I used to frequent Gatsby's when I was in University, however over the last few years the place has seemingly taken a nose dive.  2 years ago with friends I ventured into the restaurant and had little to no service.  It took 20 minutes to get a waitress and another 20 to get the invoice.
Last night after 2 years I decided to go and give it one more chance.  I ordered the Italian sausage spaghettini.  The sauce was good but it astounds me that the chef would try to pass off hot-dogs sliced on an angle as Italian Sausage.  I brought this to the attention of the waitress (a good server so I cannot fault her actually her service was exemplary).  I ended up paying half for the dinner as I was already behind schedule and did not want to re-order.  suffice it to say I shall not be darkening the door there again.

 

Cylon or Replicant Pt.II

“You were made as well as we could make you.” Elden Tyrell
“But not to last” Roy Batty

These words uttered by during the endgame sequence between creator and creation in the movie Bladerunner perhaps gives one method of control over our creations. An incept date, or in laymen’s terms expiry date for the robot; a predetermined death that the makers set for a pre-programmed lifespan. Again this brings up the moral quagmire of us playing god. In Bladerunner Replicant s were controlled by the fact that they had no emotional connection that would bring about the questioning of human masters. However, as revealed in the movie the Tyrell Corporation was experimenting with the idea of implanting memories within the programming of the Replicant. This would have the effect of not only making them believe they are human, but give the ability to control them easier. Would this have worked as a preventative measure in the world of Battlestar? Regrettably we don’t know. The real question is rather will this work in the real world when we become the creator of these sentient beings? What would happen to the identity and the persona of a Cylon/Replicant were their true nature revealed to them? How would they react to the knowledge that they are machines? Could you or I accept the revelation that we are not what we think? How would the mind reconcile this knowledge?

Cylon or Replicant? Pt. I

Having Just read the Can Robots be Trusted article in the February 2010 edition of Popular Mechanics (why it is a month ahead when it is only now January 15^th I have no idea), I find myself thinking on all of the different sci-fi renditions we have been inundated with over these last few years. Even though the article debunks what most people fear, the extinction of humanity at the hands of a cold logical machine, I cannot help but wonder if we may slip down that road anyway.

For me the first things that come to mind (much like the articles author) are movies like The Terminator, 2001, where logical and self-aware A.I., take drastic measures to protect themselves and eradicate the humans who threaten them. It strikes at the heart of one of our deepest fears; betrayal of our creations. Do we deserve the fate so ominously heralded? Or is there way out?

Battlestar Galactica deals with this in its story with a possible solution given by, of all characters, Ellen Tigh, “We wanted to warn the colonies about creating Cylons, We wanted to tell them ‘keep them close’...but we were too late. The war had already begun”.[1] The idea was to care for and appreciate that which we create in order to have the trust we need to interact socially. The article presents the idea that one thing that may allow this is that we as humans will react positively to a robot “...if you have the robot behave and move in ways that are known to enhance trust and engagement the reaction is the same as it is with people.”[2] This, at least, gives us some hope.

So what of the rights of the creation from the creator? We have seen this argued in sci-fi forums like Bladerunner, Star Trek, I-Robot and others over the years. Will we have the moral fortitude to give equal rights to these creations or will we fall into the pit the 12 Colonies and the Tyrell Corporation? Herein lays the conundrum when it comes to machines: if we have the right to create do we have the right to destroy them. The obvious argument being it is a machine and does not have life. We must somehow quantify what life is, but are we then not stealing fire from the gods? Likening ourselves to god in our arrogance and determining what life is and is not? There is a whole other can of worms both ethical and spiritual.

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[1] Battlestar Galactica Season 4 Deadlock.

[2] Can We Trust Robots, Popular Mechanics Feb. 2010, pg. 60.

Point Pleasant Lodge

Well it is now day 0 of moms treatment, she had the stem cell replacement done and we are back at the lodge after a good dinner.  In a few minutes I shall be calling my wife and waking her up for her busy day.  Thankfully the lodge has wi/fi  and I am able to check e-mail and do my finances online. 

I am hoping that things will go well for mom, right now we are awaiting the levels of white/platelets/etc. to drop.  When it does mom will be admitted to the hospital for 2 weeks until they rise again. 

I have bought a mouse for the computer and got it on sale for 24.95 plus taxes.  it works really well with this system and helps me to avoid the touch pad (which I still use). 

Planning a trip soon when everything settles down. 

The New Year

So this is 2010, the year we make contact.  One of the discussions over the transition to the new year was how sci-fi got so many things wrong.  For instance Space 1999, V, and the afore mentioned movie title in the first line of this post.  So where did they get it right?  

Star Trek influenced tech:
Cell phones that look like the old communicators.
Touch screen computer interfaces like the control panels on the Enterprise D.
And other things....

hopefully that link will provide a good chuckle or two. 

Having just spoken with my wife I am hoping that this January flies by though I know that there are some tough times ahead of me before February comes.  My mothers treatment begins a week from Monday.  This hopefully will go smoothly though I know that it won’t be at all a easy.