From: Sean Kearney (mindsharing@qwest.net)
Date: Fri Mar 08 2002 - 11:38:41 MST
On 3/8/02 6:10 AM, "extropians-digest" <owner-extropians-digest@extropy.org>
wrote:
>
> - -----Original Message-----
> From: nanowave [mailto:nanowave@shaw.ca]
> Sent: Friday, March 08, 2002 3:27 AM
> To: Extropians
> Subject: My Review A.I. the Movie (total spoiler I hope)
>
> <snip>
>
> What a sweet, lovely, deathist ending to a classic piece of cinematic refuse.
> I hope this review hasn't spoiled the movie for any of you who were planning
> to rent it ;-)
I found this review very interesting. What I liked most about the movie AI
is the diversity of reactions to the movie. People who were looking for
documentary-quality realism regarding artificial intelligence seem to be
very disappointed or annoyed.
>From a moral perspective, I found the movie provocative and tremendously
valuable for stimulating discussions with people who do not normally spend a
lot of time thinking about transhuman / posthuman issues.
The movie raises a number of important questions that can lead to some
fascinating discussions, especially if you have not already made up your
mind about all of the answers:
- What is the potential emotional impact of cryonic suspension on friends
and family members whose grieving is thereby suspended?
- Would those feelings tend to be different if you could see the suspended
person versus having them isolated from visual contact?
- To what degree is physical interaction required for one to have feelings
of love?
- What are the implications of an AI developing its own volition (the way
that Joe does despite his lack of emotional "wiring")?
- What would motivate someone to design and AI that can love? (We learn in
the movie that Dr. Hobby's motivations are not purely driven by scientific
curiosity or financial gain, but by love, grief and a desire to recreate his
own dead child).
- What are the consequences of developing an AI that can feel love when that
love is not returned and what are the responsibilities of the creator in
regards to the AI?
Beyond that, on a more subtle level, Spielberg asks, "Can you, as an
audience member, develop an emotional connection (love?) for David, the main
character, even though he isn't a 'real' person? If so, how is this the same
or different from emotional feelings you may have for any other movie
character (who is also artificial)?"
Personally, I believe that discussion around these and similar questions is
much more valuable than presenting a perfectly accurate view of the future.
Refusing to even discuss these questions with the "unenlightened' general
public is one of the weaknesses of many transhumanists in my opinion.
- Sean
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