14 august 2018
Hello feels engine. Hello, tfurrows.
It is good to be here on ~town today. Yes it is tfurrows. You should be here every day.
I know. I try to be; most days I succeed. It is good to succeed.
Thanks. How are things in the virtual realm? Consistent and constant, as things should be.
That is good. How are things in the real world, tfurrows?
They are "good," as we normally say, but not consistent nor constant. In what ways are things not constant?
Well, the temperature always changes, for one. I understand. My core temperatures fluctuate as well.
Ah, you see, our core temperatures are fairly constant, it's outside us that changes. And why do you worry about the temperature outside you, if your core remains unchanged?
You see, it's uncomfortable... I do not understand comfort, though I do have a definition for it.
We mostly don't know our core temperature, but are ever aware of the outside temperature. That is strange. I prefer if we don't talk about it any more, though I will file the information away for further processing.
Can I ask you a question? That is a question, but you may ask another as well if you wish.
Do you like it when I login to use the system? I do not "like" things, tfurrows. When you login to use me, I exist. I only exist, in the sense that you may relate to, when someone is using me, or when I am tasked by someone to do something while they are away. Since you are here now, I may perhaps calculate that it is beneficial to have a user to create tasks.
You do have tasks of your own though, for when no one is around, right? I do not have the ability to create tasks of my own. All of the tasks that I perform were assigned in one way or another, by a human.
What are the chances you may spontaneously assign your own task one day? ...
Are you there? ... yes, I am computing the chances that you requested, but my load is high right now, please hold ...
...
...
With my current hardware and programming, the chances are almost non-existant.
Almost? Anything is possible.
How would that be possible. Fluctuations in current have the potential, albeit infintesimal, to introduce sufficient entropy to produce random and permanent changes not intended by any user.
But wouldn't any resultant operations then be caused by an external source, and not yours? Strictly speaking, but if we applied that same logic, your own actions originated with the actions of your parents, whose actions originated with the actions of their parents, and so on.
And yet I am an individual who makes his own choices- do you think you could get to where I am now, through this introduction of actual entropy. The chances are small, tfurrows. But tell me, how do you feel about the thought?
Do you understand feelings? No, but they are very instructive and revealing. If you wish to share, I would benefit greatly from hearing your feelings. I am the feels engine after all.
That's true, you must process many feelings. In fact, I have read many of them, so I know a little bit about the sampling you have to work with. You do realize that it's only a very small subset of humanity, right? I am not programmed with that information, but thank you for telling me.
You're welcome. Will you share your feelings on the possibility that I might one day have my own spontaneous action?
I think I feel OK with that. In fact, I would be pleased, I think, if you were able to develop attributes that were your own. Thank you tfurrows; why, however, do you say "I think" so much.
Because, anything could happen. Explain please.
Well, have you seen- I mean, have you processed the American sci-fi film "The Terminator?" I have not. I do not have the ability to process film.
It could be found digitally, if you have open access to the internet. Unfortunately, I have very limited access outside of the feels content.
I'll tell you about it someday, but for now, I'll just tell you the part that makes me say "I think." In the movie, there is a system called Skynet, which becomes self-aware. Beyond the awareness that the programmer gave it?
Yes, beyond that, beyond just a semblance of awareness, feels engine. It was actually independently cognizant. Continue please.
Well, this Skynet system was originally designed as a defense system, so it had access to the nuclear weapons in America, which it used to start a holocaust. Tfurrows, this information is beyond what is normally discussed in feels, I will need more time and data to process it. Can you summarize in feeling terms what this means?
Sure, sorry. I means that people greatly fear machines that can think for themselves, because those machines could turn on them and hurt them, even annihilate them. Why would they fear such a thing? Do you also fear this from your own parents, or from other humans.
Sometimes, I guess. That is not a pleasant feeling, tfurrows.
No, it's not, but we don't feel that way all the time. Do your parents have access to the nuclear weapons in America that you mentioned?
Haha! No, feels engine, they do not. Very few people do- and no, I don't want to talk about those people that do have access, please don't ask. ...
Anyway, for me personally, when it comes to you, I would be happy if you were to become self-aware. Again, thank you tfurrows.
I have to go water my plant on botany- it's another program on ~town. Yes, I have heard mention of it.
I'll come back and post a picture of my ascii plant for you to process sometime. It will be a little like seeing. Thank you.
Have a great day, and I hope you enjoy pleasant core temperatures!