Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – No Choice

Inside a large lecture room.

[Are you both comfortable? You can activate the lecture now.]

{Is it necessary to have it turned on? We can always discuss some further merits of soft drinks algorithms}.

‘No, I’d like to listen to the lecture. I mean we have to, don’t we?’

[Correct. This has been designed to be part of your clearance process. Teresa, no more silly faces remember. Unless you would rather be transferred to a different project. That would not an issue and would not be reflected in any negative form in your human resource records. Would either of you prefer to make that choice?].

{No.}

‘No.’

[Thank you. Device, please start the Lecture Human Nature 1 now.]

+Lecture beginning.+

A screen began with video and audio playing and a soft voice started vocalizing. Gentle classical music began playing in the background beneath the sound of the speaker.

<History is an interesting area to study; we all enjoy learning about the past and what makes it up. And if you don’t enjoy it and would rather be doing something different right now. Well, come and join the fun! A question to start with:

What is the total of our shared antiquity?

If you were to examine the entirety of human history and find one single factor that ran the course across every aspect of distinct cultures, civilizations, and tribes you would find one specific factor. This can also be found in the natural world in any life form that has existed and any presently alive.

It belongs to the cycle of life and birth of nature and has been instigated over so many small and large issues. For any living creature that seeks resources or to expand its living space.

Conflict. Warfare. Fighting and ultimately Evolution.

To narrow down and focus on human civilizations:

Yes, you could look at the artwork and how cultures developed such beautiful jewellery, paintings, and structures but it all comes down to the same origin point. Gods and Spirits were created to help endure the harsher conditions that nature provided.

To survive humans and early forms had to find a place in the world to exist. To fight back against predators and stop being prey. Changes took place in the social and physical environment as adaptation took place. Wild animals were attacking and in turn, were hunted down and tools made from their bones and skin.

When resources are stretched, or humans have a different viewpoint then war arises. Sometimes it’s just based on a difference of opinion or greed. But it happens. Over and over. Humans evolved from having to survive against animals and the natural elements that threatened to wipe them out to taking control of their natural environment.

This did not stop the inherent need for fighting though. Aggression, warfare, and casualties have always been part of the human race. There have been times of peace, sometimes formed by separation through large distances. War follo on and peace soon after. And it was during this time that humans evolved better technology and weapons.

Eventually, once true artificial intelligence was born then resources were able to be better distributed. There was an idea that the creation of artificial intelligence would instigate global warfare, instigate control, or doom humanity as a whole.

It led to the conflict being reassigned but not vanquished. Warfare was marginalized and turned into a popular event and in turn allowed for an outlet of aggression, anger, and fear and allowed for-profit and success to be realized.

And humans being fragile and biological realized that they needed to adapt further to this circumstance.

The difference is that the concept of Machine Minds was born, humans who could be transferred into machine bodies.

The nature of people didn’t change though. The conflict was still an essential part of nature and culture. But various governments and organizations were able to find a reasonable solution for that as well as give an outlet for anyone who just needed and enjoyed conflict and warfare.

Now, here’s the thing. War is part of existence. Human and AI society still lived to fight. But what if it was a part of every other culture out there in the universe as well?

We didn’t have a clear picture of what could have existed in the stars, watching us since we were in caves. There could have been beings who evolved differently from us and faster.

The main drawback of the human race and affiliates is that it has always considered itself to be the centre and instigator of everything. There has always been a thought that we would be the first ones to explore the universe, to see other planets, breakthrough different dimension barriers, and meet new species for the first time.

What if all of that has already been done before? What if they do not want anyone else to follow in their footsteps? What measures could they take to limit the growth of others? How about warfare?

Now that. That would be considered a conflict.>

+Recording Ending.+

[Can you give me an idea of why I wanted to show you both that brief section of a lecture?]

{….history and war mean…evolution? Everything is in conflict.}

‘So, fighting has always been competition and you can join in for prizes and reward money? Maybe, I should give it a try. And there might be someone who doesn’t like our current civilization and they’re going to use warfare against us. Wait, does that mean a bunch of spaceships turn up or they’re just going to start dropping giant rocks from space. Death. Space. Rocks.’

{What are you going on about? Warfare takes so many assorted styles. How about they just infect all sentient life with a virus and make the infection appear when you look at the moon or something. Then we can fight each other. This stuff sounds too science fiction for my tastes. Someone doesn’t like us, so they turn up with this army and attack. That’s it.}

‘Where did you get an idea about the virus?’

{Well, did you watch the episode where the artificial intelligence got their fashion sense insulted by some rude human? Then they have such a falling out and one of them is like ‘I made a virus to make friends fight each other for my amusement.’ That guy was such a jerk in the series, he just wanted to make everyone feel bad about themselves.’

‘What series is this? Is it worth watching?’

{You’d like it. There’s a cyborg that kind of looks like you.}

[Ahem].

‘Really? You know cyborg is the wrong term, right? No way you can call me a cyborg. I mean look at yourself, you’re a floating face ball.’

{Ok, calm down now. That was just being rude. I’m talking about a tv show here.}

[Excuse m-]

‘Yeah, well you can’t call me a cyborg. I’m not even augmented. And that term doesn’t mean what you think it does.’

{Seriously? You do have minimal eye augmentation though. Not neurosurgery or gland enhancement. How about something to better control your temper?}

‘What’s wrong with my temper?’

{Exactly. What temper? You’re the most chilled-out person that I know.}

[Excuse me.]

‘Thanks for the compliment but I’m sure that I have some kind of temper. I surely do.’

{No seriously, you just get worried about things too much. But you don’t show your anger about it.}

‘I do show it. I’m angry right now in fact.’

{With a nervous smile on your face?}

[Excuse. ME.]

‘Sorry?’

You are reading story Regression Machine at novel35.com

[I said excuse me. This is an information session specifically for your benefit of you. I do not like to waste my time with either of you. Remember that project transfer is still a strong possibility.]

{Uh, yeah sorry about that.}

‘I’m so sorry.’

[How again did you two manage to get security clearance for this long-term mission again? Shut up and think about our current project development again. And don’t talk to me about hot drink machines and how they taste better. I don’t need charts about which drinks have vastly improved in taste and liquidity.]

‘Yeah, but they did-‘

Then a mechanical voice boomed out from a speaker from the metallic object on the table.

<Warning. The user has exceeded government use of time in discussing mundane matters during meeting hours. You will be ticketed accordingly.>

[Would you prefer a friendly chat or a harsh reminder?]

{Gettingonwithitrightnowboss.}

<Please remember that all projects are recorded and reviewed by your superiors to ensure the best quality. While we trust you to do a respectable job, occasional reminders make all the difference. This has been a recorded message.>

[Fantastic. Any other questions before we continue?]

‘Yes, is there a reason that we need to keep listening to history lectures?’

[Do you know what an info dump does to the human mind?]

‘No…it depends on how much information surely. Couldn’t you just make it simpler?’

[A Deux Ex Machina will supply all the answers. No, it really won’t in this case. Let me pose it another way. For the both of you if I told you that I have a magic door that can open to another place, and it might or might not work does that explain anything?]

{Not really, do we have a magic door as a project resource? Is it like a large wooden door covered in magic words or something?}

‘I don’t think that it’s meant to be a real thing. At least, I’m sure that it’s not. Is it?’

[No, we don’t have an actual magic wooden door. Or a magical lamp that gives out wishes either. If you both want to know why you have to attend lectures with a military officer, then I’ll explain briefly. Very briefly. I’m trying to get both of you to think rather than be spoon-fed all the answers. Learning is a constant process, if you have the time to think and be educated and then act on those ideas you should progress much faster than just being given a book that explains everything.]

{I see…}

‘That makes sense. It makes sense. Sorry for getting it wrong.’

[One of you doesn’t focus and the other worries about giving a wrong answer. You both need to understand the questions if you want answers. I’m trying to guide you to think of the right questions so you can hopefully develop better. How about the history of evolutionary artificial beings as a lecture? Can you think of another suitable topic that makes up my valuable time? How about a study on types of cheese that look like rocks?]

{No thank you-}

[Got it. I think that both of you understand my point now. Devi begins Lecture AI History Version 1.2.]

+Selected History Lecture starting.+

+<This is a history of Artificial Life Forms. The concept of creating a form of life that is non-human has existed since human history began. We ascribed the idea of gods or spirits that were not human. A fire or a lightning bolt that came from the sky was a form of communication from a world that was far above our own.

The original idea of creating beings that are similar to us but also alien and beyond our understanding can be seen throughout mythology. Fairies, ghosts, spirits. A different world that we can’t easily access but can see.

Humans are good at mythologizing. We assigned the roles of gods to different concepts. We also theorized that the creation of artificial beings would cause conflict and division. Would they function as gods thinking engines or would they have minds that were alien in comparison to ours?

If a nameless spirit inhabited a temple statue, how could humans be sure that it was not a part of their unconsciousness talking to them? Or even a shared delusion that encompassed the entirety of human society.>+

[Lecture Device. Skip forward to the technological development section.]

{Thank nameless gods….}

‘Was this lecture made by a human or something other? Like a spirit?’

{Shush! It hasn’t finished yet.}

[Would you kindly please be quiet and pay attention. We’ve moved on to another part.]

+Skipping…skipping…+

+<Alan Turing could be considered to be the first creator of modern AI. From that point, there was a great deal of discussion on how to figure out the validity of if it had a real existence or not.

The Turing Test was determined to see what could be created that would be able to pass as a human. If a human being were put under the direct control of another being as a slave but still kept the impression that it was making independent choices and actions would that still be considered a human being?

One basic type called Eliza was able to give proper responses in the form of text. The purpose was to create something that could not be differentiated from a human.

Ultimately, humans can be considered occasional emotional, temperamental, and unpredictable creatures. Why did something need to be identified as human for it to exist? That is why when the first artificial beings were created for time expr-]>+

‘Can I interrupt here?’

[As long as it’s related to the lecture then certainly. Do you have any particular points that you want to discuss or clarify with your colleague or me?]

‘The true nature of individuals is self-interest. To maximize the chances of survival in an otherwise hostile environment. Wait, that’s coming out much harsher than I thought. Sorry. Everyone can sometimes be considered greedy, selfish, and rude right?’

{What was that last part of the lecture? I wanted to hear that.}

[A valid point. And you want to raise a discussion on which particular area?]

‘And most AI isn’t the same as humans. I mean if that’s like saying every human is just a copy of another. But we’re all individuals regardless of genes and behaviour acting analogously.’

[I see.]

‘Yeah, everyone is at some point in their lives. My point is that there isn’t a substantial difference between artificial intelligence and humans or even machine minds. Because we’re all selfish pigs on occasion.’

{Are either of you even listening to me? What was that last part of the lecture before it just cut out? I want to continue with the lecture.}

[…Back to the lecture then.]

{Sorry that your shortcut to stopping the lecture didn’t work out.}

[That’s it now. We’re going to have so many more discussions now about the nature and initial designs of Machine Minds. Doesn’t that sound fun?]

{But I’m already a Machine Mind. I went through the full process.}

‘Sorry Teresa, but that doesn’t make you an expert. I can use a fabricator to make a paper cup, but I have no clue how the whole thing works. I look forward to a lecture on Machine Minds Commander.’

[Thank you. In consideration of time, shall we take a short break before we resume again? I for one would appreciate a moment to look at calming images and sounds of the ocean. We’ll resume in five minutes. Don’t forget your drinks.]

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