I thought that Muddlehead, the computer of the trade pioneer crew's spaceship, Muddlin' Through, was a "consciousness level computer." However, Chee Lan denies that Muddlehead is a person even in fact, let alone the law. I said that I would have to reread the texts more carefully to make sure of this point.
Here is the confirmation. The crew and Muddlehead play poker:
"The computer was represented by an audiovisual sensor and a pair of metal arms. It was an advanced model, functioning at consciousness level, very little of its capability needed en route to maintain the systems of the ship."
-Poul Anderson, Mirkheim IN Anderson, Rise Of The Terran Empire (Riverdale, NY, 2011), pp. 1-291 AT p. 74.
Anderson suggests that consciousness might arise from self-programming. See Anderson On AI.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I also had this bit from the end of the story called "The Trouble Twisters" in mind, Muddlehead speaking: "I am not programmed to predict how a court would adjudicate title to those articles," said Muddlehead. "However, my understanding is that in a commercially and individualistically oriented civilization, any legitimate earnings belong to the earner."
This text also gives us a bit more of what the law was like during the Commonwealth and League era.
Sean
Post a Comment