Читать книгу Windows of Opportunities - Heinrich Psscht - Страница 29

– Sir, there is a ship looking like ours on the course!

– It does not surprise me, there are a lot of them flying, it’s a popular model!

– Yes, but it is unmanned. Uninhabited automatic flight!

– This is also in the order of things.

– But it’s amazing, sir, that they are flying where we are. I wonder why they had to send us if the robots can accomplish this mission?

– What amazes you more: us being sent, or that the mission can be performed by the robots?

– Rather the first, sir.

– You see, Hans, this is a far-reaching subject. Of course, robots can complete almost every mission. But if they do it all the world will become completely… how would you put it…

– Deterministic, sir?

– That’s it! Deterministic! We bring an element of randomness into it. A surprise, you know! Therefore, we are still needed. For the same reason many living organisms have two sexes. If they had just one, then the rate of evolution would be determined only by mutations, the probability of which is rather small. And when there are two sexes, a female can meet with one male or another, or with no male at all. The variability increases many times…

– Males also fight for the female, sir!

– Of course, they do. Thus, the strongest, the fittest, the bravest, the most cunning or the smartest win! Accordingly, the evolution is directional and not chaotic. Robots are the same story. If only robots remained in the world, they would have no need to develop at all. But we introduce some irregularity into the system and problems to be solved. This creates the reason and the drive. Consequently, the System receives the necessary development!

– Serving the System, sir! But why does it need to be developed at all? Why not let it stay in the current state that is perfect as we know it?

– That’s another good question! I believe it needs the development, so it is prepared for the next surprise.

– So, we need to surprise it so that it is ready for the next surprise?

– Yep! If it ever stops the development, it will start to degrade, Hans! By the way, there’s an indicator flashing…

– Sorry, sir, we’ve deviated from the course!

– Fix it and send the robots “space hello”, as required by the flights protocol.

– Done, sir!

– Have they responded?

– I think they’re trying to pull a joke, sir! Their answer is: “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change” Leon C. Megginson…

– This is on our agenda, Hans! I hope they didn’t overhear our conversation…