[extropy-chat] Code 46

Mike Lorrey mlorrey at yahoo.com
Sun Jun 19 03:22:39 UTC 2005



--- Bryan Moss <bryan.moss at dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

> Robin Hanson wrote:
> 
> > I just watched the DVD of "Code 46", a movie that was released
> almost 
> > a year ago, and found it to be one of the most thoughtful science 
> > fiction movies I've seen in a long time.  Was it discussed on this
> list?
> 
> 
> I don't recall any discussion.  Although I had some problems with the
> film it did have some interesting ideas.  **SPOILERS**  I thought the
> behavioural modification through gene therapy was particularly well 
> realised.  Both the "empathy virus" and the engineered aversion to 
> sexual contact seem quite plausible.  However, I'm not quite sure
> why, in a world where I imagine they would be able to cure most
> hereditary diseases, they'd need to take such extreme precautions
> against "Code 46" violations.  (Perhaps I missed something.)

The classical point of SF is to use a fictional universe to examine the
implications of a science or technology on society. In this case, the
fictional society is assumed by the writers to have retained a cultural
taboo against incest, which isn't a bad bet given its general
universality throughout history (excepting certain egyptian pharohs),
so how does that society deal with problems that technologies, like
cloning, cause when they run head to head with such cultural mores.
This is in keeping with, for instance, Soylent Green and Logans Run in
dealing with population pressure vs the assumed right to procreate.

The solution is obviously one in keeping with "Spotless Mind", "Total
Recall" in using memory editing to fix problems. Not a terribly bad
solution, but in this plot the obvious solution to the Robbins
character is to get himself edited rather than throw his life away, but
that isn't romantic, doesn't make for good film...

>  That said, the separate 
> issues of using memory alteration and behavioural reprogramming in 
> response to "crimes" and the perplexities of living in a world where 
> reproductive technology is apparently so prevalent that 
> genetic-similarity has become culturally meaningless were worth
> exploring.
> 
> BM
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> 


Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


		
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