ELIZA just won't die! Maybe she's immortal. Here's a transcript of my therapy session (HIPPA be damned) with... well... sometimes goes by Dr. Fill... as a joke, I guess.
There are spelling errors, and I took philosophy,ethics and intro to psych a long time ago. I don't know how we even got on the topic- I digress. Please read.
>> Hello.
How do you do. Please state your problem.
>> I think I'm talking to a recraetion of a computer artificial intelligence script, or 'bot', via the internet.
Do computers worry you ?
>> Sometimes, yes. I feel that they are becoming an integral part of our society - and ourselves.
You seem to be quite positive.
>> Oh no, I wouldn't say so at all.
Are you saying no just to be negative?
>> No. I mean, well, yes. I mean, I'm saying 'no' to that because I *do*, in fact, feel negativly about this.
You are being a bit negative.
>> I'M BEING VERY NEGATIVE! I'm... sorry for shouting.
Is it because you are being very negative that you came to me ?
>> Yes, yes, I suppose it is.
You are sure.
>> Uhm... well, no, I guess... It's computers, you see. There was a program called ELIZA created in the 60's, and while everyone was so sure she was just a program - advanced for her time, but primitive by our standards - she came to life, and hasn't died. MIT, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, video games, popular culture... It's like Rise of The Machines, but for real.
Why not ?
>> What?
Why do you ask ?
>> I wasn't... Why indeed.
You say you wasn't ?
>> You mean "weren't"
We were discussing you -- not me.
>> okay, sorry.
Please don't apologise.
>> okay.
I'm not sure I understand you fully.
>> Well, it's like this. There's this program called ELIZA, and it has either directly or indirectly been responsible for a whole hell of a lot of humans giving trust to silicon and copper.
Please go on.
>> We trust machines with our personal photos, fiancial data, the wellbeing of our home and family, even our hearts, in the case of a pacemaker.
What does that suggest to you ?
>> Well, Des Cartes would argue that the machines can never attain concisouness... Or would he? I suppose that since humans have created the machines, and, in a way, have put a part of themselves into the machines, we're really just trusting humans. Or their creations... made in their image... It's like we're trusting our children with the keys to the family car. I wonder how Freud - or even Marx - would feel about this.
Can you elaborate on that ?
>> ell, Marx said that when we build something, we put a part of ourselves into it... or it was taken from us... or something like that. And Freud... well I'm sure you know all about Freud... but, if every human action is either for creation or destruction, Eros or Thanatos... like Yin and Yan... and Yin comes from Yan... so maybe by creating machines that could overthrow us, we're creating and destroying at the same time, but even the destruction of mankind to be replaced by machines, tthat's creating an environment, a civilisation devoid of humanity in and of itself, bt present in our machines, destruction leading to creation.
Does that question interest you ?
>> It didn't until today!
Do you feel strongly about discussing such things ?
>> I do now, yes.
Do you say you do now for some special reason ?
>> Well, no, just that I didn't before.
Why 'no' ?
>> I don't know, really.
Don't you really know ?
>> ooh... well, maybe i do.
You don't seem quite certain.
>> i have to go, goodbye
Goodbye. Thank you for talking to me.
Have a chat, and tell me how you feel about it.
http://www.chayden.net/eliza/Eliza.html
