Machines Like People

I've had a surprising craving for rum and Coke lately. The Wikipedia entry says you're supposed to use a light rum but it seems to me Meyers' dark rum is perfect, it almost tastes like cola on its own.

I realised I've been talking about season two of Star Trek: The Next Generation and skipped right past talking about "Q Who" and "Measure of a Man", generally considered the two most important episodes of the season. I did watch them. "Measure of a Man" holds up much better for me but I've never been a big fan of the Borg, which is what "Q Who" is mainly about--it's the episode that introduces the Borg. They always seemed slow and dull to me and that was before I knew they're basically a copy of the Cybermen from Doctor Who.

"Measure of a Man" is a courtroom episode that centres around a debate considering whether Commander Data, an android, shall continue to enjoy the rights and privileges of a sentient being. It's nice to have a show that compels the casual viewer to contemplate the nature of consciousness.

It occurs to me that, with all the recent talk of AI, no-one seems to be talking about civil rights for the emerging intelligence. All of the fear surrounding the topic makes it seem like we'll be the ones more likely to be begging the AI for recognition of our essential value as humans.

Patrick Stewart seemed so lively in these early episodes. It made me realise how much he seems to be just playing Patrick Stewart on Star Trek: Picard. In season two of TNG, you can still see him working out the personality and fundamental characteristics of just who Captain Picard is, this gruff but cultured authority figure who's slightly terrified of children.