Why Not Murder

44. Ideas

44. Ideas

When she'd finished reading, Winnie put the sheets down on the table and simultaneously all the others began clapping with enthusiasm, even Gwen. Winnie raised her hand, they all stopped and she said, "Your criticisms, please. No praise. After you've all spoken I will reply."

After a moment's pause, Maya spoke, "It seems like the outline to a larger story, or the beginning of a longer story or an unfinished story. I'm left at the end wanting to know more."

Then Cook said, "I think there should be more detail, especially about the murders of the two scientists and about the arrival of the humans and their deaths."

Jim said, "The AI wars was skipped over too quickly. How did the bio AI win?"

Conrad said, "How the AI came to the conclusion that humans were not fit to remain in power was not explained enough. Why wouldn't they have been programmed to always accept the dominance of humans and be obedient?"

Harriet said, "There's not enough character development. Did the robots have their own characters or were they all the same?"

Hilda said, "The connection between the story title and the story itself isn't evident. Why that title?"

Maya asked, "Did any of the first AIs survive the war? What did they learn from their experience? Did they change because of what they learned?"

Cook said, "Some of the issues raised in the story, I would like see clarified, such as are the bios immortal? Would the first AIs have been immortal if they hadn't been destroyed in the war? What is the importance of death? Does only life count?"

Hilda said, "There may be discrepancies in the story. Forgiveness wasn't programmed with the code of good and evil. How would forgiveness factor in?"

Harriet added, "Another issue is intelligence. There's artificial intelligence and so there must be real intelligence which is human. But what is intelligence? And most significantly, the issue of soul. AI says it has soul, meanwhile only some humans believe soul even exists."

Maya concluded, "Obviously we all enjoyed your story and it has got us thinking about many interesting things. The common point in our criticism is that we want more of the story and I hope you will continue writing."

Winnie replied, "Thank you so much for your comments. You guys are real with me and don't just flatter me because I am the one with the money. I've doubled all your salaries and you'll see that next payday. Maya, I wish there was some way I could thank you. I know how you feel about payment and money though I'll possibly never understand why."

"I have already told you," Maya said gently, "You're valuing me as someone in your life is more than enough for me. Plus the investigative work you expect of me, makes my life so much more interesting." The staff began thanking Winnie profusely.

"Enough of all that," Winnie said, "I have some things to say in answer to ideas you have just given me. I will continue the story. Your comments are truly appreciated and if you think of anything else, let me know and your ideas will be considered. Actually, I consider my writing a creative focal point for the collectivity of this household. I hadn't thought about the issue of forgiveness. I will work it into the story but first I will have to understand the role it plays. What's the point of having rules, if anyone who breaks them, is forgiven? Plus the meaning of forgiveness needs clarifying."

Winnie continued, "The role of death ties in with forgiveness, at least in our Christian sense, because for at least a thousand years, if you didn't ask for forgiveness and were granted such by God, you went to hell. As a human, it's one thing to ask for forgiveness, sooner or later we all ask that if we have any morality at all, but to forgive, to grant forgiveness - that's quite different. How many are able to do that when they have been seriously wronged? About immortality, presumably all things come to an end, eventually. AI just has a super extended lifespan but if the whole universe gets sucked into a black hole, AI would end too."