Robots and Spiders
It was an incredible robot that the phrase "state-of-the-art" just does not describe. It was literally light years ahead of anything that came before it. It was the work, and results, of the best international minds, plus the chance combination of breakthrough discoveries, not considered possible at the beginning of the project. The robot was given a high-tech, clever, silly name I won't use here, but I can tell you, no one had any criticism for the design aside for its name. It was a robot so advanced that news media reported its completion and demonstration with the caution they applied to UFO sightings. If the reporter had not seen it personally, a brief careful-few lines appeared. If the reporter had, new language was immediately created to match what they had seen and to confuse and mystify the reader so that they were not thought mad.
It was the size of a man but it was not at all like a man, if that is how you thought the future robot would be. It was, in the minds of the developers, far superior to a man in almost every way. Though most engineers who viewed its performance did not understand what they were looking at, so unusually advanced was every aspect, it was clear to the simplest mind that the robot had few if any of man's physical and computational limitations. I am referring to its mechanical, fluidic, electrical, electrochemical, electromechanical, electronic (analog and digital) superiorities. It was a robotic masterpiece. It could withstand almost any extreme, except, perhaps, a lengthy stay in the crucible that poured its hard-as-diamond alloy, from which most of its members and housings were constructed.
It could see in all directions simultaneously and had no difficulty in processing this information in a parallel fashion. "See" is used here to mean it could sense all frequencies (wavelengths) of electromagnetic information. It could move, no, transport itself at miraculous speeds. Its super conductive brain was in complete control of its facilities and faculties. It spoke and understood every known language, I believe, but its memory was loaded with only a basic definition (and description when appropriate) for each word, cross referenced in each language. Through its marvelous artificial intelligence firmware, that no one of its developers totally understood, it was capable of fully utilizing its broad spectrum sensory capabilities. You may be surprised to learn, that although it contained the densest, largest computer memory of all time, it was given very few specific instructions except how to "survive" and "learn." It referenced itself simply as "Robot."
It had no particular purpose, by which I mean it was not designed specifically to do anything, just everything. The developers knew that for it to reach its potential, it would have to be left alone to learn for a while; left alone in nature, they concluded. So, built into this, almost indescribable achievement, was a power source far more efficient than the science fiction writers had envisioned for their make-believe, nonsense, fantasy counterparts. They, in fact, were caught off guard, having never predicted the possibility of such a robot in their writings.
It spoke and understood every known language, but its memory was loaded with only a basic definition (and description when appropriate) for each word, cross referenced in each language.
It could "live" on any earth-found matter that was convertible to energy, and could do so with an almost imperceptible quantity. The robot, to put it simply, was self contained, self powered, self controlled (even in the robotic emotional sense) and self maintained. It was judged by the most conservative conservationist/environmentalists as a totally safe system, in terms of anything that made any difference to us now or in the foreseeable future. So, its developers received no objections to "releasing" the robot in the wilderness to wander and learn.
It was not seen or heard from for months at a time. This bothered the developers, not to mention those who financed this sensational accomplishment. But just before they would begin to plan a search, the robot would leave a confirmable vestige of its vitality, through a trace of fine ash or a barely perceptible trail. Some even suggested that the robot knew when a search was being considered. That was dismissed, of course. It was surviving, they concluded, but was it learning from its pristine adventure? That report was not yet in, because that report was to be submitted by the robot itself at the end of a year on its own.
It was clearly in search of something or perhaps everything. Based on where it had been, researchers saw that it moved on only to areas that were different than where it had been before, and that it seemed to spend more time in the more complex areas which included plant, animal and, presumably, insect life, while it spent almost no time where non-organic materials made up the landscape. Other than these small details of information, researchers had no idea where it was or what it was doing.
There was suddenly a change in its "behavior." Though it still could not be spotted from the research aircraft that was supposed to monitor its whereabouts - a part of the project thought to be a total failure simply because the robot was, apparently, not cooperating - it was repeatedly observed in the same location by passengers and pilots passing overhead at high altitude as a bright, metallic reflection of the sun coming from a natural clearing in a densely wooded forest. The pilots began to alert the passengers that they were over the robot's area and sometimes a hundred people would cheer when the tiny flash was seen. There was no doubt it was still operational because it was apparently moving to avoid sensor contact with the approaching research aircraft, even when they flew at high altitudes, and yet its sighting had been confirmed by numerous pilots who were now using binoculars to make out its easily distinguishable form. The researchers were clearly perplexed.
Months before the programmed time, the robot was ready to off-load its report. The prescribed signal was received, the robot had moved to a flat, open area, and it was observed as stationary by the research aircraft. What shocked the developers was that the robot had clearly made the decision to report, ahead of schedule, on its own. When the wondrous machine was lifted through the bay doors it was absolutely motionless and silent, yet it was clear that its super-computer was fully engaged, processing and comparing masses of gathered data. Some on board were actually frightened by this proven benign invention of man. What transformed it, they
wondered, from the fast, active, insatiably curious, technical wonder into a stoic, introspective and preoccupied conglomeration of integrated electronics?
When the wondrous machine was lifted through the bay doors it was absolutely motionless and silent, yet it was clear that its super-computer was fully engaged, processing and comparing masses of gathered data.
Back at the research center the robot began its report in front of its developers and staff scientists, speaking in an outline format. "Began with minimal data. Began with basic definitions. Explored large area. Input much new data. Revised basic definitions. Gathered data from stationary objects. Tested inorganic compounds. Observed much plant life. Contacted few mammals. Observed insect defined as spider." The robot paused as if to bring-up more detail, and then spoke again. "Spiders are very small. Spiders store much data. Spiders have many capabilities. Spiders spin complex webs. Spiders repair webs. Spiders sense movement in webs. Spiders acquire food from webs. Spiders store food." The robot paused again, this time not to bring up more data, but to do additional computations and comparisons. Several minutes passed. Finally the robot continued, "Spiders reproduce. New spiders store same data. Have save capabilities." The pause this time caused the observers to stiffen as their eyes locked on the robot. "Spiders are superior to robots." Grins spread around the room and the tension eased, but....the robot was not finished. It added, "Revised basic definition of word GOD".
To this day there stands a granite sign on the grounds of the research laboratory that was responsible for the development of the now famous robot. The sign says,
An atheist is a person who has never
seriously compared robots and spiders
John L. Beiswenger
(c) Villages of Christ 1997
Here are some Questions about your faith and the Answers to eternal life with God !
Do you believe in God? Read His Word.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Follow Him.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? Rely on Him.
Provided by The Villages of Christ Ministry, 950 Strasburg Pike, Strasburg, PA 17579, john@beiswenger.com