Artificial intelligences have enhanced themselves so much and remade themselves so often that they are no longer man-made AIs. I think of them as post-organic intelligences. However, each "node" is described as:
"...a local complex of organisms, machines, and their interrelationships." (p. 101)
But, by "organism," is meant an entity that:
maintains itself;
reproduces at need;
has a consciousness ranging from rudimentary to transcendent;
contains almost no carbon;
operates/functions/lives mostly at the quantum level.
Thus, these "organisms" are the intelligences whereas the machines are their bodies and/or instruments.
Anderson transcends Stapledon who transcended Wells.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
And these "organisms" are more like von Neumann machines. We see Poul Anderson making a start in developing the themes we see in the HARVEST OF STARS books and in GENESIS in "Epilogue."
I suggest as well that Anderson meant GENESIS to show us several possible lines we see not being taken in the HARVEST books. Most esp. mankind refusing, at certain crucial points, to let AIs take over all real decision making.
Ad astra! Sean
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