We have been talking for the last few sessions about what machines are
and if we are machines ourselves. There have been various arguments to
suggest that we are not machines-we have feelings and choices where as
machines are programmed how to behave, we sometimes make mistakes which
are attributed to 'human error' but when computers go wrong it is due
to mechanical failure, a technical error or just that we as humans have
programmed it wrongly.
Stevan has had an answer for all the points that have been made, for
example that maybe we too have been programmed how to behave in certain
situations and that we only think that we are in total control of our
actions. But after all these arguments have been made I still find it
difficult to accept that we are machines.
As humans we have a very high opinion of ourselves so it is difficult
to believe that we are controlled by something else. By saying that we
are machines it feels like being told that we are on the same level and
are equal to other machines such as computers and robots. It doesn't
seem right that we are equal to something that we have created but
isn't it possible that we can be machines that are superior to those
that we have created, just the same as some people believe that we have
been created by something superior-God? (stretching away from the
subject slightly - does this in turn mean that god was/is a machine?
and if so, how was s/he/it created, and who by?
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