(4) Puzzles I

[cramschoolgod]

A.) [Action: Sasaki is taking a walk around town, looking pleasant and sociable, wearing her purple dress from home. At the moment, she seems to be deep in conversation with a drone, actually, a pleasant-looking young man with a baseball cap on. She's asking him an array of question, including "What time is it going to be three hours from now?", "

Comments

[sosnarrator]

[Kyon is walking along when he sights Sasaki, what is she talking with that drone about?]

Hey! What's up?

[cramschoolgod]

Ah, Kyon! I noticed your friend Asahina was droned. I find it really interesting how well her appearance still fits with some aspects of the drone personality, though of course, it must be an unfortunate shock to you.

As for me, I'm testing the intelligence of the drones.

[sosnarrator]

Right, I didn't need a reminder about that.

Testing their intelligence, huh?

[cramschoolgod]

[She smiles.] Of course, I apologize. It's the first person I recognize in such a format, though, and ... well, suffice it to say, it's an interesting display.

Yes, that's right. I wonder how closely they approximate humans. After all, they come much closer than any artificial intelligences found in our world, but not so close as my assigned mother, Glados-san.

[sosnarrator]

Are they really all that interesting?

[cramschoolgod]

As individuals, not in the least. However, it is interesting to imagine them as members of a group. They can perform simple mental operations like addition of time, they know the answers to common knowledge questions, but the question is whether they're capable of any kind of lateral thought. This is the kind of thought that characterizes human creativity, to a large extent. Another question is how much they comprehend of natural language--particularly those parts of language like puns, wordplay, and so on. And furthermore, the translation between mechanical and humanoid communication is one fraught with difficulties in most computerized interfaces, so you might see if the drones can 'explain' mathematics in a way comprehensible to humans. Of course, there are also riddles and 'unusual' contextual questions, which I suspect, as many humans cannot understand them, the drones will also not understand--but I could be surprised.

[sosnarrator]

Seems like a waste of time if you ask me, but I guess if you're finding it interesting...

[cramschoolgod]

Why do you think it's a waste of time?

[sosnarrator]

Well, they're rather a dull lot, even duller than the average person such as myself. I'd actually prefer dealing with the likes of Haruhi than holding a conversation with a drone.

[cramschoolgod]

They're very dull, but experiments sometimes involve dullness.

[sosnarrator]

Life should be more interesting than merely talking with drones though!

(... Oh god, I'm starting to sound like Haruhi, aren't I?)

[cramschoolgod]

[Raises an eyebrow.] You're starting to sound like Suzumiya-san.

[sosnarrator]

I'd rather not let myself be compared to someone as outrageous as her.

[cramschoolgod]

Well, perhaps you shouldn't say things that allow the comparison to be made, eh, Kyon?

But at any rate, what have you been doing, then?

[sosnarrator]

There hasn't been a whole lot to do. I haven't seen Haruhi around since that little... mishap at the diner.

[cramschoolgod]

Neither have I, for that matter. I have merely been, ah, wasting my time with experiments. [She smiles.]