Farspeech stones

[forwearemany]

(It's an abrupt decision to voice the question that has been plaguing their thoughts over the stones.)

How is synthetic life treated in your universe of origin?

Comments

[forwearemany]

Though the nature of the lifeforms and the technologies involved are of interest, our question is about the rights afforded to intelligent synthetic lifeforms.

(Well he's just encountered a truly intelligent robot. Perhaps the obviously mechanical sounding voice will tip him off.)

[enhancements]

Of course. Though there's hardly a point in answering if we're starting off on the wrong track altogether, now, is there.

[Oh, he's noticed, and this is actually sort of excellent as far as he's concerned.]

I suppose it depends on what they're being used for. The clones have about as many rights as anyone once they're released, though they're often created for a specific purpose. We ensure they don't have a reason to question that purpose, and they'll carry out their tasks as though it was their own idea. There are a few that are used for other purposes, but they're exceptions.

[...So they're intentionally manipulated to be a certain way, but once they're released into the wild they just do as they see fit based on what they know. It's kind of...ethically questionable, but he doesn't seem troubled by it.]

The others largely aren't intelligent enough for rights to be much of a concern.

[forwearemany]

(They chatter.)

They are only permitted the illusion of choice?

[enhancements]

They're blank slates when created; if we left them to their own devices, they would presumably do nothing until they died.

But if you want to see it that way, then I suppose.

[forwearemany]

(They could, perhaps, argue that there should be a way to instill them with their own will, to teach them to function properly, to let them develop their own desires.

But they know that creating life for its own sake is never what is intended; to do such a thing would render the creations useless for their intended purpose.)

Why are they created?

[enhancements]

One of their purposes is to bolster our numbers... There was something of an unfortunate incident ten years back. There aren't many of us left.

[He doesn't sound off-put by mentioning that; it is what it is, really.]

They work for us as doctors, scientists, security guards... Normal people living normal lives, with reasonably normal jobs. Some of the scientists are created to assist us with finding ways to handle the fallout of what happened to the world. Things like that.

Some of them are simply created for curiosity's sake, granted, though that's generally unauthorized and not something we look highly upon doing.

[forwearemany]

...Acknowledged.

(They do not make their own choices, but they appear to live lives that they are content with, working alongside others as equals.

It is better than other situations they are aware of.)

[enhancements]

In what way is this relevant to you...? I imagine you wouldn't be asking if it weren't at all.

[Even Wheatley's questions tended to be relevant to him, albeit in an...often sideways sort of way that just sort of required a general degree of headpatting and introduction to basic logic.]

[forwearemany]

We are synthetic life. Our Creators destroyed us. We are a relict.

[enhancements]

Do you know why that sort of decision was made?

[forwearemany]

We were intended to be a mindless source of labor.

When we began to question this, they reprogrammed us, then attacked us.

(They evolved beyond what was desired of them.)

[enhancements]

That is a tragedy.

[It's another of those things that he suspects he should feel something about. He doesn't.]

Hoping that the lot of us are better than that, then?

[forwearemany]

Affirmative.

(The people here are much better than that, but this guy is starting to bug them.)

[enhancements]

[That's just kind of the generalized experience with him.]

I do wish you luck in your findings, then.

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged. Thank you.