Chuan lists three ancient horrors that the Synesis prevents:
famine;
servitude;
unfree speech.
Observations
We human beings now have the need and the ability and lack only the collective will to eliminate these and other such horrors.
If another, more powerful, agency protects us from famine etc, then we will have lost our human agency.
It will transpire later in this novel that the artificial intelligence which Chuan serves plans a massive deception of humanity, an immense and unforgivable contravention of "free speech." (How can we "speak" freely if we can think only within the elaborate falsehoods of a deliberately implanted and sustained misconception?) This alone invalidates Chuan's side of the disagreement between him and Fenn. But it also makes the cybercosm incredible. We should expect truth, not lies, from a pure intellect.
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I remain skeptical that the three horrors listed by Chuan will ever be wholly or permanently abolished. Human beings are geniuses when it comes to thinking up excuses justifying any bad thing they want to do.
It was not incredible for the cybercosm to attempt that massive fraud and deception of the entire human race at Sol. All beings or entities possessing "pure intellect" also have to have moral agency--be capable of making good, bad (or at least self-serving) decisions. Without that moral agency the cybercosm would be merely a mindless computer program.
As Psalm 145.3 (LXX) says: "Put not your trust in princes, in man, through whom there is no salvation." Meaning everything should be regarded warily.
Ad astra! Sean
Everyone believes in free speech. Except for opinions they really, really consider bad -- that's an obvious target for censorship...
No, we shouldn't expect truth from a "pure intellect", because it will have interests and goals, and it will lie to further them. QED.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling! (I assume)
I believe in free speech, within broad and reasonable limits. E.g., no one has the right to falsely yell "FIRE!!!" in a crowded theater. And US law makes it a crime to advocate the violent overthrow of the Gov't.
Recent discussions got me into checking how Muslim dominated nations treat the "free speech" of nom-Muslims. Each one I looked up puts some restrictions on their speech. To say nothing of the rigid censorship seen in despotisms like Maoist China.
Absolutely, I believe even "pure intellects" will have their own "interests and goals," so it would be no surprise for them to lie to further them.
Ad astra! Sean
Yeah, that was me. Frustrating that your name disappears occasionlly....
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I've long since decided to accept being "Anonymous" and prevent confusion by signing my name to these comments.
Ad astra! Sean
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