CHAPTER NINE ends with the consciousness-level computer addressing Flandry:
"'I hope you will find things in proper order. Some derangements are possible. The time was long and empty." (p. 257)
In "The White King's War," section 8 ends with this same dialogue except that the concluding sentence is absent. Then section 9 jumps to Flandry and Djana back in space whereas the novel adds two pages with them still on Wayland although even that is not enough. Flandry, conversing with the prime computer, wishes that he had time to learn the history of five centuries on Wayland and so do we.
The computer had split its attention to watch wild robots, then between rival chess masters, in order to create:
"'...something complicated and unpredictable to watch... I refrain from suggesting analogies to the Creator you believe in.'" (p. 261)
- as Flandry says to Djana. This idea is consistent with some kinds of Hindu theology. Being splits its attention between conscious beings - and, in my opinion, does not become conscious until it does this.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I wish so much Anderson had given us three or four more pages about the Wayland AI!
I could argue that God is conscious because the Three Persons in the one Godhead communicate with each other: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
The Trinity doctrine originated because the Fourth Gospel deified the Son and personified the Spirit yet remained monotheist. Thus, three persons + one god = Trinity. Apart from this, there was no reason to believe that God was three persons.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That is not how I would have put it! As a Catholic I believe the Trinity was REVEALED to us thru Jesus Christ, the NT, and the Tradition of the Church. And had to be a revelation, for the reason you implicitly suggested.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment