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A review by thebookishelf
Silver Hair Sins by Saumick Pal
5.0
This is actually a book with good messages (for the time) about equality, and one which poses interesting philosophical questions about what happens with races with orthogonal thought processes come into contact, and how far one can or should go in such situations.
Is it really possible for AI to acquire human traits like empathy and the desire to understand the meaning of life and avoid death at all costs? What would the role of socialism play in an AI world? Would self-aware machines seek out to destroy anything that threatened their existence or tried to control their thoughts (i.e. programming).
If you are a fan of relevant science fiction, I would recommend this book. I ended up reading this one in a single sitting to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
The central theme in this book has been picked up: man managed to create an "inferior" version of man in order to make use of that product for their own benefit: as slaves, as company. For example, what would happen if Dr. Frankenstein's patent would expire and his creation would be mass-produced, made more aesthetically pleasing and completely void of emotions. Inferior is relative though, because the AI machines are generally more intelligent and agile. And most look very attractive, which helps.
That's where the philosophical aspect comes in: What is it that makes us so different from these creations that makes us essentially human? According to society in this book, it's empathy. The ability to feel for others, to manage to go through what they're going through by some mystic group connection.
The atmosphere created in the book is supreme. Author Saumick Pal creates a world full of doubt and conspiracy. AI could be anywhere and they could be anyone. As technology advances it becomes harder and harder for them to be detected. They even think they are human with a will and freedom to choose their own lives.
The nightmare feel of the book is CROSP (Criminal Reform One Silver Program) which makes punishment for a criminal(!) so vulnerable. It is so terrifying to even imagine that these fluid elements in the story where there are some shifts between dreamworlds and reality are part of what constitutes the nightmare experience for human.
My reading-experience of this book was amplified after each chapter. The images in between pages are simply sublime and provided the perfect framework in which the story could be set, also in my mind. This is a great novel, one that questions existence itself. It certainly made me think.
Is it really possible for AI to acquire human traits like empathy and the desire to understand the meaning of life and avoid death at all costs? What would the role of socialism play in an AI world? Would self-aware machines seek out to destroy anything that threatened their existence or tried to control their thoughts (i.e. programming).
If you are a fan of relevant science fiction, I would recommend this book. I ended up reading this one in a single sitting to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
The central theme in this book has been picked up: man managed to create an "inferior" version of man in order to make use of that product for their own benefit: as slaves, as company. For example, what would happen if Dr. Frankenstein's patent would expire and his creation would be mass-produced, made more aesthetically pleasing and completely void of emotions. Inferior is relative though, because the AI machines are generally more intelligent and agile. And most look very attractive, which helps.
That's where the philosophical aspect comes in: What is it that makes us so different from these creations that makes us essentially human? According to society in this book, it's empathy. The ability to feel for others, to manage to go through what they're going through by some mystic group connection.
The atmosphere created in the book is supreme. Author Saumick Pal creates a world full of doubt and conspiracy. AI could be anywhere and they could be anyone. As technology advances it becomes harder and harder for them to be detected. They even think they are human with a will and freedom to choose their own lives.
The nightmare feel of the book is CROSP (Criminal Reform One Silver Program) which makes punishment for a criminal(!) so vulnerable. It is so terrifying to even imagine that these fluid elements in the story where there are some shifts between dreamworlds and reality are part of what constitutes the nightmare experience for human.
My reading-experience of this book was amplified after each chapter. The images in between pages are simply sublime and provided the perfect framework in which the story could be set, also in my mind. This is a great novel, one that questions existence itself. It certainly made me think.