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Wednesday, January 20, 2016

I've Seen C-Beams...

Over on JSVB, Jeff writes about the spiritual and ethical issues surrounding the creation of artificial beings through the lens of popular culture. A gorgeous painting of Roy Batty accompanies the essay; both are worth careful study.

Assuming I'm reading Jeff's essay and painting correctly, he's troubled by the thorny issues arising from the concept of human-created artificial intelligence and suggests that, at least in the examples he cites (the films Ex Machina and A.I.: Artificial Intelligence), such creations are immoral or at best amoral; "why do we create things we hate?" he asks.

It's a good question; as Jeff notes, most SF stories involving AI view our creations as threatening, often to the existential level. He also touches on the questions of commercialism and the act of creation itself.

Really, it's best if you read Jeff's essay rather than my weak synopsis. Personally, I found it thought-provoking enough to revisit a short story I abandoned some years ago. I hope its revision will serve as commentary on Jeff's work; watch for it coming soon. 

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