What was the AI's answer in the film: The God Question?
I just keep reading that the AI's answer "was unexpected" or "thought-provoking," or that the movie was "incomplete." As far as can be seen currently, no one has thought or gotten around to write a spoiler or wiki entry to save some people time.
Can someone save some of us the trouble of watching The God Question and exactly describe the AI's answer, along with any human reactions or responses to it?
the-god-question
add a comment |
I just keep reading that the AI's answer "was unexpected" or "thought-provoking," or that the movie was "incomplete." As far as can be seen currently, no one has thought or gotten around to write a spoiler or wiki entry to save some people time.
Can someone save some of us the trouble of watching The God Question and exactly describe the AI's answer, along with any human reactions or responses to it?
the-god-question
You can view it here. But I don't think you're going to like it.
– Dan J
Aug 6 '15 at 21:12
1
@Dan J ~ That's an excerpt from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's its connection to the movie?
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 0:04
At a guess Evan, the down vote is for asking a question that could be answered by watching the film; it would fall under no effort behind question. Honestly, I hadn't ever heard of this film before this question, but we'll see if someone who has drops by.
– Radhil
Aug 7 '15 at 1:13
@Radhil ~ Another possibility is that I had put the title in quotes, a wrong punctuation, and double quotes at that... and around such a title.
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 13:20
add a comment |
I just keep reading that the AI's answer "was unexpected" or "thought-provoking," or that the movie was "incomplete." As far as can be seen currently, no one has thought or gotten around to write a spoiler or wiki entry to save some people time.
Can someone save some of us the trouble of watching The God Question and exactly describe the AI's answer, along with any human reactions or responses to it?
the-god-question
I just keep reading that the AI's answer "was unexpected" or "thought-provoking," or that the movie was "incomplete." As far as can be seen currently, no one has thought or gotten around to write a spoiler or wiki entry to save some people time.
Can someone save some of us the trouble of watching The God Question and exactly describe the AI's answer, along with any human reactions or responses to it?
the-god-question
the-god-question
edited Jan 16 '16 at 2:59
DVK-on-Ahch-To
272k12412961857
272k12412961857
asked Aug 6 '15 at 18:57
EvanEEvanE
4116
4116
You can view it here. But I don't think you're going to like it.
– Dan J
Aug 6 '15 at 21:12
1
@Dan J ~ That's an excerpt from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's its connection to the movie?
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 0:04
At a guess Evan, the down vote is for asking a question that could be answered by watching the film; it would fall under no effort behind question. Honestly, I hadn't ever heard of this film before this question, but we'll see if someone who has drops by.
– Radhil
Aug 7 '15 at 1:13
@Radhil ~ Another possibility is that I had put the title in quotes, a wrong punctuation, and double quotes at that... and around such a title.
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 13:20
add a comment |
You can view it here. But I don't think you're going to like it.
– Dan J
Aug 6 '15 at 21:12
1
@Dan J ~ That's an excerpt from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's its connection to the movie?
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 0:04
At a guess Evan, the down vote is for asking a question that could be answered by watching the film; it would fall under no effort behind question. Honestly, I hadn't ever heard of this film before this question, but we'll see if someone who has drops by.
– Radhil
Aug 7 '15 at 1:13
@Radhil ~ Another possibility is that I had put the title in quotes, a wrong punctuation, and double quotes at that... and around such a title.
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 13:20
You can view it here. But I don't think you're going to like it.
– Dan J
Aug 6 '15 at 21:12
You can view it here. But I don't think you're going to like it.
– Dan J
Aug 6 '15 at 21:12
1
1
@Dan J ~ That's an excerpt from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's its connection to the movie?
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 0:04
@Dan J ~ That's an excerpt from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's its connection to the movie?
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 0:04
At a guess Evan, the down vote is for asking a question that could be answered by watching the film; it would fall under no effort behind question. Honestly, I hadn't ever heard of this film before this question, but we'll see if someone who has drops by.
– Radhil
Aug 7 '15 at 1:13
At a guess Evan, the down vote is for asking a question that could be answered by watching the film; it would fall under no effort behind question. Honestly, I hadn't ever heard of this film before this question, but we'll see if someone who has drops by.
– Radhil
Aug 7 '15 at 1:13
@Radhil ~ Another possibility is that I had put the title in quotes, a wrong punctuation, and double quotes at that... and around such a title.
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 13:20
@Radhil ~ Another possibility is that I had put the title in quotes, a wrong punctuation, and double quotes at that... and around such a title.
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 13:20
add a comment |
2 Answers
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[Spoilers below, including in the non-hidden parts]
The computer never answered the question. Instead it threw a question back at them that one of the PhD's had asked almost rhetorically earlier in the film: "How come we're asking a machine that's never felt a thing, never felt love, and pain, hunger, never felt faith or a gut instinct... why are we asking it a question about God? You know, honestly, why are we asking?"
There were no human responses to this answer; the film ends immediately.
Prior to this resolution, at each earlier attempt the computer would consider the question for several hours and then shut itself down, committing suicide in effect, rather than give an answer or allow humans to examine computer memory to deduce what its thoughts were on the question. The computer's responses during this time seemed a riff on Asimov's "The Evitable Conflict" where the Machines politely refuse to answer questions about their actions with "The matter admits of no explanation."
"Do you remember the Machine's own statement when you presented the problem to him? It was: 'The matter admits of no explanation.' The Machine did not say there was no explanation, or that it could determine no explanation. It simply was not going to admit any explanation. In other words, it would be harmful to humanity to have the explanation known, and that's why we can only guess - and keep on guessing."
Answering the question directly would somehow be harmful to humanity, so the computer chose ultimately not to answer. This result was deeply foreshadowed earlier in the film, and given how poorly the question was formulated, inevitable.
add a comment |
I have seen the film and I think IVAN's answer is that you should not be asking a supercomputer this question!
New contributor
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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[Spoilers below, including in the non-hidden parts]
The computer never answered the question. Instead it threw a question back at them that one of the PhD's had asked almost rhetorically earlier in the film: "How come we're asking a machine that's never felt a thing, never felt love, and pain, hunger, never felt faith or a gut instinct... why are we asking it a question about God? You know, honestly, why are we asking?"
There were no human responses to this answer; the film ends immediately.
Prior to this resolution, at each earlier attempt the computer would consider the question for several hours and then shut itself down, committing suicide in effect, rather than give an answer or allow humans to examine computer memory to deduce what its thoughts were on the question. The computer's responses during this time seemed a riff on Asimov's "The Evitable Conflict" where the Machines politely refuse to answer questions about their actions with "The matter admits of no explanation."
"Do you remember the Machine's own statement when you presented the problem to him? It was: 'The matter admits of no explanation.' The Machine did not say there was no explanation, or that it could determine no explanation. It simply was not going to admit any explanation. In other words, it would be harmful to humanity to have the explanation known, and that's why we can only guess - and keep on guessing."
Answering the question directly would somehow be harmful to humanity, so the computer chose ultimately not to answer. This result was deeply foreshadowed earlier in the film, and given how poorly the question was formulated, inevitable.
add a comment |
[Spoilers below, including in the non-hidden parts]
The computer never answered the question. Instead it threw a question back at them that one of the PhD's had asked almost rhetorically earlier in the film: "How come we're asking a machine that's never felt a thing, never felt love, and pain, hunger, never felt faith or a gut instinct... why are we asking it a question about God? You know, honestly, why are we asking?"
There were no human responses to this answer; the film ends immediately.
Prior to this resolution, at each earlier attempt the computer would consider the question for several hours and then shut itself down, committing suicide in effect, rather than give an answer or allow humans to examine computer memory to deduce what its thoughts were on the question. The computer's responses during this time seemed a riff on Asimov's "The Evitable Conflict" where the Machines politely refuse to answer questions about their actions with "The matter admits of no explanation."
"Do you remember the Machine's own statement when you presented the problem to him? It was: 'The matter admits of no explanation.' The Machine did not say there was no explanation, or that it could determine no explanation. It simply was not going to admit any explanation. In other words, it would be harmful to humanity to have the explanation known, and that's why we can only guess - and keep on guessing."
Answering the question directly would somehow be harmful to humanity, so the computer chose ultimately not to answer. This result was deeply foreshadowed earlier in the film, and given how poorly the question was formulated, inevitable.
add a comment |
[Spoilers below, including in the non-hidden parts]
The computer never answered the question. Instead it threw a question back at them that one of the PhD's had asked almost rhetorically earlier in the film: "How come we're asking a machine that's never felt a thing, never felt love, and pain, hunger, never felt faith or a gut instinct... why are we asking it a question about God? You know, honestly, why are we asking?"
There were no human responses to this answer; the film ends immediately.
Prior to this resolution, at each earlier attempt the computer would consider the question for several hours and then shut itself down, committing suicide in effect, rather than give an answer or allow humans to examine computer memory to deduce what its thoughts were on the question. The computer's responses during this time seemed a riff on Asimov's "The Evitable Conflict" where the Machines politely refuse to answer questions about their actions with "The matter admits of no explanation."
"Do you remember the Machine's own statement when you presented the problem to him? It was: 'The matter admits of no explanation.' The Machine did not say there was no explanation, or that it could determine no explanation. It simply was not going to admit any explanation. In other words, it would be harmful to humanity to have the explanation known, and that's why we can only guess - and keep on guessing."
Answering the question directly would somehow be harmful to humanity, so the computer chose ultimately not to answer. This result was deeply foreshadowed earlier in the film, and given how poorly the question was formulated, inevitable.
[Spoilers below, including in the non-hidden parts]
The computer never answered the question. Instead it threw a question back at them that one of the PhD's had asked almost rhetorically earlier in the film: "How come we're asking a machine that's never felt a thing, never felt love, and pain, hunger, never felt faith or a gut instinct... why are we asking it a question about God? You know, honestly, why are we asking?"
There were no human responses to this answer; the film ends immediately.
Prior to this resolution, at each earlier attempt the computer would consider the question for several hours and then shut itself down, committing suicide in effect, rather than give an answer or allow humans to examine computer memory to deduce what its thoughts were on the question. The computer's responses during this time seemed a riff on Asimov's "The Evitable Conflict" where the Machines politely refuse to answer questions about their actions with "The matter admits of no explanation."
"Do you remember the Machine's own statement when you presented the problem to him? It was: 'The matter admits of no explanation.' The Machine did not say there was no explanation, or that it could determine no explanation. It simply was not going to admit any explanation. In other words, it would be harmful to humanity to have the explanation known, and that's why we can only guess - and keep on guessing."
Answering the question directly would somehow be harmful to humanity, so the computer chose ultimately not to answer. This result was deeply foreshadowed earlier in the film, and given how poorly the question was formulated, inevitable.
edited Aug 11 '15 at 15:40
answered Aug 10 '15 at 1:47
Kyle JonesKyle Jones
46.3k11141222
46.3k11141222
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add a comment |
I have seen the film and I think IVAN's answer is that you should not be asking a supercomputer this question!
New contributor
add a comment |
I have seen the film and I think IVAN's answer is that you should not be asking a supercomputer this question!
New contributor
add a comment |
I have seen the film and I think IVAN's answer is that you should not be asking a supercomputer this question!
New contributor
I have seen the film and I think IVAN's answer is that you should not be asking a supercomputer this question!
New contributor
New contributor
answered 4 mins ago
IvanIvan
1
1
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You can view it here. But I don't think you're going to like it.
– Dan J
Aug 6 '15 at 21:12
1
@Dan J ~ That's an excerpt from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's its connection to the movie?
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 0:04
At a guess Evan, the down vote is for asking a question that could be answered by watching the film; it would fall under no effort behind question. Honestly, I hadn't ever heard of this film before this question, but we'll see if someone who has drops by.
– Radhil
Aug 7 '15 at 1:13
@Radhil ~ Another possibility is that I had put the title in quotes, a wrong punctuation, and double quotes at that... and around such a title.
– EvanE
Aug 7 '15 at 13:20