NOTE: I am assuming the audience of this blog has seen both films as we proceed through the following discussion. If not, I highly suggest watching these two films for a more complete understanding of this discussion.
"Ex Machina" and "Be Right Back" have many parallels. The two films take a look into the future of artificial intelligence and what it might resemble. Upon first glance, one major point of futuristic advancement is that the artificial beings are almost indistinguishable from other humans. The key word here is almost. In "Be Right Back", Martha can obviously tell something is not quite right about Ash. This all goes back to the idea that we, as humans are continuously opposed to deception. The more something looks "Real", the more we try to notice tiny, minute details that could distinguish the artificial from the genuine. The same is true with "Ex Machina": Caleb Smith, at times is tricked into thinking that the Artificial woman might be real. At one point, Caleb even questions his own existence by cutting his arm open to search for any proof that he, himself might be "artificial". In the end of both films, the audience can conclude that even with indistinguishable physical features of human beings, there still remains something that is not quite right. Something deeper than physical features is missing.
One should believe that the missing piece of the puzzle is the essence of humans. Some might refer to this essence as a soul. As genuine human creatures, we can tell if something is artificial or not. There is no amount of programming or software that can recreate the human essence. This is why, unfortunately, the uncanny valley will never be conquered by artificial beings. Artificial beings will stay on the left of the curve, while genuine human beings will stay on the right. The human essence is what makes us unique. For, without the essence, we are not human beings. Furthermore, we are not human beings without the essence.
3 comments:
First, I must say that this is a well written piece that kept my attention until the very end; at no point in reading this did the thought arise of closing the tab. Although, do you truly believe that artificial intelligence can never compensate for the missing "soul" of humanity? What if robots develop the conscious human experience that we know? Would that be essentially the same as creating life?
From a religious perspective, the answer is that this is impossible; however, religion is extremely good at adapting to science.
That doesn't go to say that maybe a robot could even act indistinguishable from someone with a "soul". While I do agree that humans have a unique thing called a soul, this leaves me much to think about.
I agreed with Ian, quality post. I do not agree with your statement, "There is no amount of programing or software that can recreate the human essence." All throughout history people have claimed the possible were impossible. No one believed man could reach the moon, yet we did. One man claimed T.V. would not be successful because, "no one had the time," yet here we are. I think it's close minded to think it is impossible to reach that point in technology.
I think the struggle with the soul is the quintessential debate, indeed, about what exactly mechanical intelligence can receive regarding rights and treatment through the eyes of humanity as a whole. For your part regarding the "missing link" of the human essence, I would concur, presenting the core principle of Asimov's Robotic Laws as a larger understanding from humanity that robots must serve our intentions, as they are designed by us for that purpose. We may remove obstructions and laws regarding these machines as much as we like, but the reality remains that "learning" will never equate to the type of natural intelligence humans possess. Artificial is the only identity they will ever have, unable to realize themselves fully as natural organisms, just as we cannot understand ourselves as mechanical ones, it would be anathema to our nature.
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