[ExI] Look to Windward--Banks

[Clément 'clemux' Schreiner]

On Saturday 20 March 2010 15:29:31 Ben Zaiboc wrote:
> > "The Culture" in Bank's universe is a galaxy wide society
> > with
> > nanotechnology.  It has stabilized beyond the
> > construction of AIs but
> > remains for the most part in the physical world.
> The Minds (AIs) in the Culture deliberately hold back from a singularity
>  (equated with 'sublimation'), for reasons never explained.  

Actually, these reasons has been explicited several times, especially in Look 
to Windward, and, if I recall correctly, in Excession.

In Look to Windward, Chapter 6, it is explained that new AIs are at first 
shaped with a degree of morality, reflecting their civilization's (and then 
this intellectual character could of course disappear, replaced by another).
The Culture, and other civilizations, have designed "perfect" AIs, without 
this initial bias, but they observed that those AIs almost always sublimed at 
the first opportunity, leaving the material universe.
The Culture's Minds are therefore always created with some elements of moral, 
and that's the reason for their general benevolence.

As described in Chapter 8, civilizations tend to sublime when they start 
feeling useless, with a long society-wide ennui.
In Excession, I think, it is explained that the Culture still finds itself 
useful, by interfering with less advanced civilizations, helping them to  
develop themselves, ...

However, individual AIs and "humans" often choose to sublime, like other 
choose death when they feel their life should end. (Also extensively explained 
in Look to Windward).



--
Clément Schreiner